


The old and the new

by Musichick2004



Series: Old and New [1]
Category: NCIS, Numb3rs
Genre: Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, F/F, F/M, First Time, Flashbacks, Gay Sex, Lesbian Sex, Light BDSM, Light Bondage, M/M, Mention of other shows: hercules/xena, Past Infidelity, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-06-03 05:50:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 46
Words: 93,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6599227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musichick2004/pseuds/Musichick2004
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new love for Abby and memories of an old one for Gibbs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic, and I'm a bit long winded, so please be kind! Constructive criticism welcome :)

Abby walked into the bar much slower than usual. She didn’t feel like joking, or bouncing, or heck, even smiling. Today’s case was hard, and as much as she loved her friends and coworkers, she needed a little time to herself. If she acted like this around them, they would immediately notice something was wrong, and would all rush to her rescue, trying to cheer her up. It made her feel loved and welcome and so warm and fuzzy inside, just knowing that they WOULD, if they could, but right now that’s not what she wanted. She wanted to go into a bar, sans pigtails and platform boots, have a few drinks, and watch the people around her. She did this sometimes, and learned a while ago that she would never have time to herself if she went to most of the bars or clubs around the Navy Yard.

Usually men were intimidated by her overpowering personality, her chains, her boots—basically, by her—but when she went “incognito” as she liked to call it, there was no buffer to dissuade horny drunk guys. They saw her silence as an indication of weakness or timidity, and constantly having to inform them otherwise was just plain exhausting. So tonight, as she had done before, she strolled into a little bar on the hill called Phase One. Not a grungy music-less bar, but not a poppy club either, this bar had a lot of what Abby loved (good food, great alternative music, and occasionally Jell-o wrestling) and very little of what she didn’t want (drunk guys hitting on her). Phase is one of very few lesbian bars in the city, and far away from the general club scene, and she knew the bartender way before she went all “coyote ugly.”

“Hey Ab” she heard her friend say, as she poured some drinks for a couple of good-looking college hippies. “Hey Chels, I’ll have a double.” Abby slid down to the end of the bar, turning towards the room and surveying her surroundings. It was still early, by bar standards, so there were relatively few women there. At the bar were the two hippies, flirting and discussing their social policy course, and trying to one-up each other on their knowledge of Mary Daly’s feminist theory. At a high-top table close to the door were a couple of women closer to her age, although noticeably butcher. One was obviously quite drunk already and very loud, but harmless. Others may have been intimidated by her size and expressive motions, but Abby could read people almost as well as her boss, and she was just there to have a good time with some friends. A few college kids were dancing in a group to some indie rock singer Abby hadn’t heard before, but the music was pretty good…as was the view. To be honest, escaping the predatory nature of so many people in a “typical” club wasn’t the only reason she sought out a place like Phase. There were occasions where she enjoyed the company of a female companion, and she certainly appreciated watching their bodies flow to the music. 

In the dark corner opposite the bar, Abby could see another woman sitting at a table, but couldn’t quite make out her face. She was tall, maybe almost as tall as Abby, with bright red hair down her shoulders. She faced the dance floor most of the time, but every time she raised her glass to her lips, she too would scan the room. Abby looked quickly into her glass as the redhead caught her eye. Not her usual reaction, Abby scolded herself for being intimidated—or whatever that reaction was—and raised her eyes confidently. The redhead had turned toward the dance floor again, this time with a smartphone to her ear. *phew* “crisis averted” Abby thought. What crisis, she didn’t know, but it was still a relief that she wouldn’t have to think about what might happen if she kept making eye contact with a tall, redheaded stranger.

“Haven’t seen you in a while” Abby jumped when her friend Chelsea, the bartender, approached her again.

“Gawd Chels, don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“Sneak? Honey, I stomped on over here like a biker with a wooden leg, and you were too busy blushing over that tall drink of water to notice”

“I don’t blush!” Abby retorted. She wasn’t blushing. Except she felt her ears start to get hot. She tried thinking about something cold…an ice hotel…penguins…anything.

“Obviously” Chelsea said as she started laughing.

“OK, whatever, I had a rough day, I’m not on my game.”

At the tone in her voice, Chelsea stopped laughing immediately. Abby really wasn’t in the mood for jokes. “What’s up sweetie?”

“Rough case at work. I shouldn’t talk about it, but let’s just say I had a lot of bloody evidence to process, and I can’t stand when kids are involved.”

Abby lowered her eyes for the second time tonight, much more slowly this time. She heard the creaking of hinges as her friend came out from behind the bar and wrapped her in a hug. Chelsea was big and round and soft and most people saw her as rough and gruff, but Abby knew she was just a big teddy bear. She gave the best hugs. After a while, Abby pulled back and let Chelsea kiss her forehead. She reminded her of Gibbs sometimes…except for the round and soft part, obviously, and the fact that Gibb hid his teddy bear side from most people. “Thanks. I just needed a breather from…everything.”

“No problem hon, that’s why I’m here.”

Chelsea went back behind the bar as a new patron walked in. Abby’s attention went to the door to see an older couple come through, grasping each other’s hands tightly as the door shut. She shook her head but smiled.

“They’re cute, but it’s a shame they feel like they couldn’t do that outside.” The stranger’s voice repeated almost word for word what she was thinking. Abby turned to find the redhead walking toward the bar, empty glass in hand. She was dressed conservatively—obviously government or high-powered professional. Her hair was down now, but had crimps in it from being tightly styled for most of the day, she wore slacks and flat shoes, a white button-down shirt, 3 buttons open at the top (although Abby could tell it was just 2 buttons for most of the day, the way the fabric was puckered from pulling against her breasts), and Abby noticed a black suit jacket draped over her chair. Black and white…power colors. This woman was strong, smart, and wanted everyone to know it. “I’m Katherine” she said, as she extended her hand. Abby grasped it and felt a skip in her chest as she responded “Abby.” Crap. All she wanted was a quiet evening of emo-esque contemplation, and here comes this totally hot, probably closeted, probably republican politician shaking her hand and sending a jolt of desire right to her clit.

Katherine slid onto the stool next to hers and ran her long fingers over the rim of the glass. “You look like you’ve had a rough day. I thought misery might like some company?” For a woman who exudes power and confidence, Abby wasn’t expecting such a kind and comforting tone of voice. Or even a question, really. She gave herself a mental headslap for judging a book by its cover, and responded. “Yeah…I work with forensics…today was hard.” “I’m a lawyer with the Freedom Project. Today wasn’t a picnic for me either, especially after the call I just got.” She responded quietly. Abby tried to meet her eyes, but she was staring into her empty glass. _A lawyer actually trying to fight for justice…way better than a politician_ Abby thought. Her heart started beating a little faster as she started to reevaluate her plans for the evening. Or for the next hour or so, at least.

“Hey Chels, refills? On me” Abby asked the bartender. Her newfound companion was still fingering her glass as Chelsea looked at the two of them and winked at Abby. _I’m in trouble_ Abby thought. “Thanks beautiful” Abby exclaimed, as the two drinks hit the bar in front of them, and she blew Chelsea a kiss. Chelsea “caught” the kiss and slapped it on her ass, making the older couple and Abby laugh. Katherine chuckled lightly “you two friends?” “Yeah, her brother is in the Navy, we met when I was working a case he was involved in. She’s totally cool. Her brother too--he’s the good guy, not the bad guy, of course!” She didn’t want Katherine to think she thought bad guys were cool.

“I haven’t been in here in years,” Katherine looked around again, “but it hasn’t changed all that much. I just wanted somewhere quiet where I could be myself and not have people harassing me all the time. We just lost an appeal for a young man today. If I can’t find something else, he may get the death penalty in 6 weeks for a crime he didn’t commit.” “That SUCKS” Abby exclaimed. “What kind of forensic people do they have if they’re putting innocent people behind bars? I mean, obviously not ME!” Katherine smiled at her enthusiasm, she wished she had someone that caring on her team.

“I wish we had competent forensics here, but we don’t." She took a breath and turned her body to face Abby. "But I didn’t come here to talk shop, I came here to get my mind off my work for just a few hours…” she paused and lowered her voice “or maybe a night.” Her eyes met Abby’s with a hint of a question. Abby could tell she was reading her. Her body language all night, her breathing and that telltale blush at the top of her ears right now, how she was unconsciously touching her neck and mouth, all of it. Abby thought about how she wanted to play this out. If she were being the responsible federal forensic analyst she should be, she really should just enjoy a few drinks, get this woman’s card and maybe set up a date later after she could do a full background check. But tonight, she decided to throw caution to the wind. She didn’t want to be “forensic analyst Abby” tonight. She wanted to be careless, she wanted to escape her reality, even if it was just for a little while.

“What did you have in mind?” Abby intentionally slid her hand across her chest, and rested it on the edge of the bar, her pinky just millimeters from Katherine’s sleeve. Noting the invitation, Kate pulled her hand back and onto Abby’s, dropping the two onto Abby’s thigh. “If I’m too forward, let me know, but I’d love to get you into my bed right now.” Abby was a bit shocked by the bluntness, but it also turned her on. Usually the guys try cheesy pickup lines, or try to show off how “sexy” they are, and the girls she’s picked up here have been flirty and cute and evasive and never seem to want to make the first move. _I like this_ she thought. The quiet confidence, the desire in her eyes, Abby knew it wasn’t a good idea to go running off to a stranger’s bed, but she made a mental note to give herself another headslap later. AFTER she got laid. Abby squeezed the hand on her thigh, pushing it slightly higher, and leaned to whisper into Katherine’s ear, “Not too forward at all...you read my mind.”

*************************************

After a quick cab ride and jog up the stairs to Katherine’s 3rd floor walkup apartment, the pair stopped at her door. “Still OK?” Katherine asked as her key turned the lock. Abby pressed her long, lean body against her and wrapped her arms around her waist, sliding under her shirt where it had come untucked. Katherine’s skin shivered at the touch as Abby responded “What do you think?”

Katherine pushed open the door, pulling Abby in behind her. She closed and locked the door, and as Abby reached for her again, she pulled her close. Abby felt long, delicate fingers lacing through her straight black hair. This was one benefit of NOT wearing the pigtails...she loved the feeling of those hands on her scalp. Slowly, Katherine tightened her grip, pulling Abby’s lips towards her own. Abby gasped at the pressure, then moaned as Katherine’s skilled tongue slipped into her mouth. Abby was backed against the door now, and Katherine’s thigh had slid between hers, giving Abby friction and pressure where she could grind her hips. One hand in her hair, Katherine’s other hand wandered down Abby’s side to rest on her hip, slowly reaching around and cupping Abby’s ass, pulling her even closer. Abby was usually slower to jump into bed than most people would expect, but feeling this woman pushing against her, holding her against the wall and plundering her mouth with a tongue that sent shivers down her spine, imagining what else it could do? That skill and confidence? It was making her feel like she might be wet enough to feel through her pants.

Abby pushed Katherine back to provide a few inches of space between them as she unbuttoned both of their tops. What she found under Katherine’s professionally modest blouse was a pair of beautiful, round, perky breasts, robed in a see through lace underwire brassiere. Not too big, not too small, but just right. Katherine pulled her hands away from Abby and stepped back, reaching behind her back to unhook her bra. Abby reached up and slipped the straps over her shoulders, letting it fall to the ground as Abby leaned down and took one pert nipple into her mouth, making Katherine gasp.

She felt Katherine’s hands at the button of her pants as her phone started ringing. “Ignore it,” Katherine whispered, her voice raspy with desire. Abby pushed the button to silence the vibration and slid the phone back into her pocket. She knew the pants would be on the floor soon, but at least she wouldn’t lose her phone. As she brought her hand back to continue attending to the nipple she had been licking, she moved to the other one. Nibbling and sucking on one nipple while gently pinching and twisting the other had Katherine moaning and grabbing at her pants in earnest. Abby felt her phone ring again. She knew if it was Gibbs she had to answer it. _Never be unreachable_ . Damn his rules.

She slid the phone out of her pocket long enough to see who it was. Gibbs. Usually his timing was perfect, but what the hell? “I’m so sorry, but it’s my boss, I have to take it, if we have a case…” sighing out of mock frustration, Katherine whispered in Abby’s ear “don’t let me distract you” and Abby saw the mischievous glint in her eyes. As she slid her thumb across the phone to answer the call, she yelped as she felt Katherine nibbling on her neck, her right hand squeezing her breasts and pinching her nipples through her bra. “Yes boss?” She said breathily, trying to sound normal. “Everything OK Abs?” “Yep, all okie doke here” _as soon as you get off this phone_ she thought. Katherine’s left hand had slid into her unbuttoned pants and was gently rubbing the silky material of her panties across her excited clit. “I need you at the lab. Now.” “But Gibbs, I-” he hung up.

Katherine stopped her ministrations suddenly. Abby was sure she heard the conversation and now was angry she had to go to work. She wouldn’t meet her eyes as Abby tried to apologize and quickly gather her clothing. “Can I call you later?” Abby asked, hopeful. “I’m not sure,” came the reply, “but maybe I’ll call you.” Katherine stepped back towards what Abby assumed was the bathroom. “I’m gonna shower, could you lock the door on your way out?” And with that, she was gone. Abby wanted to talk about it, maybe get down to why this was upsetting her so much, but she didn’t have time. Gibbs was calling again, and she couldn’t keep him waiting.


	2. The reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby discovers why Katherine didn't call...and Gibbs gets an unexpected visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to mix my plots with a hefty dose of fluff...hope it doesn't disappoint!

_Holy Crap. Holy Crap. Holy Mother of the Church. Crap._ Abby couldn’t believe it.

It had been almost a week and the mysterious Katherine hadn’t called her. Abby had left her number on the kitchen island before leaving, and was hopeful, but when it got to be 6 days, she couldn’t take it anymore. Abby was not a patient person, and she used her forensic sleuthing skills to find her mystery lover. Lawyer for the Innocence Project, just lost a case, first name Katherine. Fairly narrow list, and the website had photos of their lawyers on their website, easy peasy. Katherine Fielding-McDonough, 39 years old, glowing professional reviews and multiple accolades. Fielding had sounded familiar, but Abby couldn’t remember why, so she went digging a little into her background. Had she spent the night, she totally would have done this anyway, so it didn’t feel wrong to her at all. Through newspaper articles, online sources, and public records, she discovered that Katherine had a son, Nate, who was 17 and a great soccer player. Her husband had been a Marine and was killed 11 years prior. Her sister had been killed 20 years ago in a car accident with her niece. Her sister Shannon...and niece Kelly…

Abby felt her Gibbs-spidey-senses tingling, so she quickly closed the browser window just as the footsteps crossed her threshold. “Whadaya got Abs?” Gibbs asked as he dropped a caf-pow on her desk. _Oh boy, would you like to know_ she thought, as she took a long swig of her favorite addiction.

Hopefully hiding her panic with a mock caffeine rush, she spun in a circle, pigtails flying. “Gibbs, you must be slipping! My babies haven’t beeped yet. I’m still waiting.” She half expected to hear a ding, beep, or some other noise indicating that she had a result Gibbs had sensed psychically. It looked almost like he was expecting it too. But when no noise came, Gibbs turned on his heel and left. _He’s not slipping...his tingly senses knew something was up_. Abby knew she couldn’t keep this from him, but she needed to talk to Katherine. Pronto.

****

“Ms. McDonough, I have a...um--"

_"Abby...an Abby!”_

Katherine smiled as she heard the younger woman take over the intercom, then felt a pang of guilt--she really should have called her. “Send her in Luke” she responded to her secretary. Almost immediately, her office door burst open, and a woman she barely recognized blew in. A far cry from the quiet woman she had seduced just a week ago, she was wearing 3” platform boots, a plaid mini skirt, an artfully torn tight black T-shirt with a big skull across the front, and her hair was pulled into 2 braided pigtails high on her head. All topped with a white lab coat and a federal ID that said NCIS across the top.

“Hey Abby,” she started as she stood and shut the door, “I should have called, I-”

“uh, YEAH!” Abby interrupted. “Do you have any idea-”

Katherine met her eyes for the first time and Abby was silenced by the tears they held. “Abby, let me explain.” Abby tried to interrupt, but Katherine waved her hand, “I'm sure you've found at least some of it, maybe all of it, who knows, but let me tell you everything.” She motioned to the chaise along the window and they both took a seat.

“When you answered your phone, I half listened to the conversation. I knew you'd be called to work, but damnit my goal was to make sure you wanted to come back for more." Abby caught a glimpse of a smirk as Katherine no doubt recalled how her mouth had been working on a hickey like a damn teenager, and her hand...oh yeah, she had definitely wanted more.

"I thought the voice sounded familiar, and when you said his name, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I know Leroy is a federal agent, so it made sense that he'd be your boss. That's just how karma works for me. I couldn't start a relationship, or whatever we were starting, even a fling, with you unless I dealt with what happened 20 years ago. And I wasn't sure I wanted to."

Abby was uncharacteristically silent. She wasn't sure what she should do… thankfully, before she could say anything, Katherine started speaking again.

“I was only 19. Growing up, I worshipped the ground he walked on. My sister was so happy, even when my parents were mad at him for their choices. But after the crash, my family said some horrible things about him. I knew it wasn't fair, but I didn't stand up to them. I never talked to him, or told him it wasn't fair, or anything. We were all grieving, but we had each other… He was alone. I've felt guilty ever since, and after a while I figured it was just too late to apologize. I'm not sure I could be with someone so close to him and keep this bottled up.”

Katherine finally raised her eyes to meet Abby's, and this time Abby responded. She took Katherine's hand, and leaned in and lightly brushed her lips with her own, then pulled her into a tight hug. “Whatever we started, I like it. A lot. But I can't keep this from Gibbs. I can't keep anything from Gibbs. He's got like this super sense that knows when something is hinky.”

Katherine sighed as Abby let go. “I'll talk with him. 20 years is long enough. He still like bourbon?” Abby laughed “can nuns bowl a 300?” Katherine looked puzzled, but took that as a yes.

“I'll go there tonight, as long as there isn't a case. And I'm sure you have it, but here's my cell number. I might need a little time, but i’d really like to see you again.” Abby took the card with her business information on the front and the cell number written on the back. She already had every phone number Katherine had ever had, but she didn't want to scare her.

“Just so you know, I can't lie to him. I've got a day, maybe 2, tops, before he gets it out of me”

“No worries, it'll be tonight.”

As Abby left to return to the Navy yard, she was plotting how to avoid Gibbs. But, short of locking her doors and blasting her music, that wasn't going to happen. He’d figure something was wrong and blast his way in anyway, using explosives if necessary. She'd just have to be honest. She wasn't ready to discuss it. _Ooooooh, this whole secret thing SUCKS_ she thought.

**

It was 10pm, and Gibbs was glad to be home. The cold case they were working on was getting colder by the minute, and something was bugging him about Abby, but she said she didn't want to talk about it. He was worried, but until or unless it affected her work, he figured it was best to let it go. He'd showered, changed into sweats and an old t-shirt and was happily working on a new project for Amira. The wood grounded him, it was solid, strong, and always predictable if you knew what you were doing. It was always truthful, and listened to the words he never spoke. As he blew some sawdust off the surface of the dollhouse, he heard his front door open then shut. He wasn't surprised, he often had unexpected guests, usually his team members, or Fornell, sometimes even the director--whoever was in the seat at the time. But these footsteps were soft and hesitant. He didn't recognize them, so he shifted his position to the back of the basement. He had his back to the wall, a clear view of the head of the stairs, and his  Sig was just a few inches from his hip on the shelf beneath his work bench. Better safe than sorry, he’d learned a long time ago.

“Hello?” He heard a female voice he couldn't place. He picked up the sandpaper again and began smoothing the edges of the windows he'd just cut. The steps got closer as he heard her again “Leroy? You down there?’ Gibbs stiffened… Nobody called him Leroy anymore, they were all dead. He saw her feet at the top of the stairs. “Lee?” Certainly nobody called him Lee. Not for 20 damn years. But he quickly regained his composure and settled back to his sanding. As the mystery woman descended the stairs, Gibbs glanced up, able to continue sanding, while studying his guest. She was tall, wearing a navy pantsuit, and carrying a bottle of his favorite bourbon. _That's a plus_ , he thought. As she turned the corner to the last few steps, he could finally see her face. He stopped sanding, his hand dropping to the surface of the work bench. The shoulder length bright red hair, the shape of her nose and eyes, this woman could be Shannon's twin. “Hey there Lee… Long time. Hope this is still your favorite” She crossed the distance between them in 2 long strides and set the bottle in front of him, leaving her long fingers on the neck.

Gibbs took off his safety goggles and looked at her closely. Green eyes, not the bright blue he was almost expecting. “Katie…” he said as he came to the realization. Shannon's sister. She was 14 years younger than Shannon, and it'd been 20 years since he'd seen her. She had grown up to resemble her sister more than he expected. She chuckled softly “nobody's called me Katie in almost 20 years.”

“Nobody calls me Lee anymore either.”

Gibbs picked up his sandpaper and began slowly rounding the edges he had been working on before. Thoughts were running through his head, memories, but he didn't want them there. He wanted to go back to his safety, his predictable project, unyielding under his hands. “I'm guessing you still don't talk about feelings and all that,” Katherine said as she left the workbench and started looking around the basement. Gibbs didn't respond. The question sounded rhetorical anyway. “We’re the only ones left, you know. Daddy died 3 years ago, and Mama...she’s not remembering much nowadays. And I heard about Jackson...I'm sorry, Lee.” Gibbs kept sanding.

Katherine sighed. She had hoped she would get some reaction to the apology she’d been planning for 20 years, but it didn't look like it. He probably hated her for how she’d treated him, by default. But she had to try. She took a deep breath and began, shakily, “I should have stuck up for you. I knew they were wrong, but I didn't say it. I didn't come to you. They said terrible things that broke my heart even more, but not once did I try to make them see how horribly and unfairly they were treating you. I'm just as guilty as them.”

She paused, her back to Gibbs now, trying to gather the strength to face him when she felt his hand on her shoulder, pulling her around. _Damn ninja_ she thought. “Lee, I'm so sorry.” Katherine’s tears started to fall as she emptied her thoughts. “You made her so happy. Mama and Daddy couldn't understand why she chose you, they were so angry, but I saw it. I saw you. And then when you needed us, we left you. We had each other to grieve with, and you were alone. You had it worst of all, and I didn't come to you, didn't see you, nothing.” Gibbs held her tightly as he felt his heart tighten in his chest.

“You were 19. You couldn't change them.”

“But I could change me. I could have been a fucking adult and found you. I didn't. And I've regretted it every day since.”

“19 isn't really an adult… You were still a kid. I never held it against you.”

After a few minutes of silent tears, Katherine pulled back as Gibbs offered her a rag. Checking to make sure it didn't have wet paint or wood stain on it, she quickly wiped her eyes and nose. She felt like that teenager again, her brother-in-law making everything alright. “Doesn't make it right. I want to fix it. I don't know how, but I want to. I'm in DC now…” she passed him a business card, same as the one she had given Abby that morning. Including the cell number on the back, and her home address. “I DO lock my doors, but you'll always be welcome.”

Gibbs took the card. His stomach was in knots and he didn't want her to see it, so he acted like he was studying the card. Probably harder than was necessary, but he just wanted to go back to sanding. He felt her soft hand on his cheek and his heart skipped a beat as she lifted his face to see her eyes.

“Lee… We're family. I'm leaving the ball in your court, but please, don't wait 20 years. It's not worth it. They wouldn't want that.”

Gibbs pulled away as he reached for the goggles and sandpaper. “I won't” he responded quietly. Those 2 words expressing more emotion than he had shown all evening.

Gibbs slid the goggles onto his face and began sanding in earnest. He made sure his eyes did not watch her ascend the stairs, and didn't stop working until the wee hours of the morning.


	3. They talk again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How does Gibbs handle this revelation? What happens when he finally decides to meet with her again?

Katherine sat in her car outside the Gibbs residence and rested her head in her hands. She had known it was going to be hard to apologize, but in the grand scheme of things, that wasn’t too bad. Just seeing him, though, was the hardest part. He was the last person who remembered her sister. Mama & Daddy were gone (mentally or physically, didn’t matter), his dad was gone, she hardly knew her aunt and uncle before they died. He’d been with Shannon for almost as long as she could remember. Shannon was only a teenager when they met, and Katherine was 14 years younger, so really…he was as much her family as Shannon was.

So many memories of all of them playing together when she was a kid, and Shannon coming to her when she was having “boy troubles” as a teen. She was the one who told Katherine that sometimes men needed a little space to figure out how to say what they want to say. That Leroy was never one to talk about his feelings, and he’d usually keep quiet for a long time, but it was never intended to hurt anyone. He just needed time to figure out how he was really feeling, what he wanted, and what the other person needed. That evening’s conversation came flooding back, like Shannon was reminding Katherine to have patience. She did blindside him tonight. It’s a lot to bring up, and she needed to let him do what he’s always done. He’ll call, whether it’s in 2 days or 2 weeks or 2 months, he’ll call. She slid the key into the ignition and drove back home, feeling a little bit better.  
  
***  
  
“FOCUS!” Gibbs yelled across the bullpen. His team had been extra irritating lately, and he’d been doling out headslaps like lollipops at the local bank. He knew there was something in the bank records they were SUPPOSED to be checking, his gut told him so, but they were just joking around. He grabbed his coffee and stormed toward the elevator. “Find me SOMETHING.” He growled at his team as he left.

The room was silent for several seconds as the team stared at the elevator, half expecting Gibbs to come roaring back in. For two weeks he’d been an absolute bear to work with, way worse than normal. Tony had developed a pretty much permanent headache, and he wasn’t even goofing off as much as normal. Usually he saw the headslaps as a form of endearment, and sometimes even looked forward to the contact, but lately Gibbs had been just mean. Even to Ducky…and he was never mean to Ducky. Something was bothering him…something more than the case, Tony could feel it. McGee looked like he was gonna hurl most of the time, and Bishop had started sitting on the floor behind her desk again. Thankfully Gibbs had a soft spot for the young agent and hadn’t dragged her into her seat…yet. Tony wished he could drag Gibbs into that elevator, hit the emergency stop, and drag the truth out of his obstinate superior. But that would never work. Gibbs didn’t talk unless he absolutely had to, and having a few disgruntled team members didn’t qualify as “having to” talk.  
  
***  
  
Gibbs stomped off the elevator and into Autopsy. Ducky had finished his analysis hours ago and had already sent his report upstairs. “Jethro, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Gibbs just stood by his desk drinking his coffee. “Don’t like it Duck,” he started, “not knowin’ what to do.” Dr. Mallard glanced at his friend with a concerned look. “Elaborate, please? You’ve been awfully hard on your team of late, so I’m sure they’ve all noticed something peculiar is going on. I do understand your reluctance to speak about your personal life, but, as you tell the others, when it begins to affect your work, then perhaps it is time to discuss whatever is going on…” Gibbs sighed. Damn him, he was right. Of course, that’s why he came down here, isn’t it? To have Ducky pull at least a little of the truth out of him? “Katie came to see me…Shannon’s little sister.”  
  
“Oh my…I wasn’t aware she had siblings”  
  
“Katie’s her baby sister. She was only 8 when we met, and 19 when Shannon and Kelly were killed. She didn’t talk to me after the funeral. Now she says she wants to ‘fix’ it.” Gibbs paused to crumble the coffee cup in his hand and throw it into the trash can several feet away. “How the hell can you ‘fix’ something like that? You can’t just barge into someone’s life after 20 years of silence.”  
  
“Jethro…she was 19 when this happened? She probably wasn’t even old enough to really grasp her own grief, plus that family did a number on you Jethro. It would have taken a lot for anyone to risk losing their biological family in a time like that. Does it seem like she feels badly over this?”

Gibbs leaned back onto the wall. “Yeah, Duck, she does. She was just a kid, and Shannon meant the world to her.”

“And to you, my dear boy.”

Gibbs felt the familiar tightening in his chest as he thought about the happiness they both lost that day.

“It may do both of you some good to speak with her openly about this, Jethro. And do avoid throwing coffee onto her floor, please.”

Gibbs looked at the puddle of black coffee at his feet. He hadn’t realized the cup wasn’t completely drained. He grabbed a towel and wiped the spill, threw it in the trash, and turned to leave. As the doors swished open, he turned to his friend, “thanks Duck. And I'll try not to be such a bastard.”

“Quite alright Jethro. Anytime.” Ducky accepted Gibbs's 'apology' and went back to his paperwork.  
  
**  
  
Gibbs returned to the bullpen to find his team hard at work. They all seemed a little smaller today…probably due to his attitude. _I may have to be the next one doing a little fixing_ he thought to himself as he sat down. He had a rule against apologizing, but he’d make sure they knew they shouldn’t have been bearing the brunt of his attitude lately.

“Report” he barked, making all 3 of them jump. As always, Tony was the first one behind him, giving him a rundown of what they may or may not have found in the 10 minutes he was gone. He loved that the younger man was so eager to please him, when he was very different with almost everyone else. Probably because he was the only person he knew who saw Tony for the brilliant investigator he is. And the big heart he tried to hide behind his boyish antics and incessant teasing. McGee had found a hint of something on the suspect’s computer and had sent it down to Abby. Gibbs decided he wanted to hear it from her himself, so he again walked to the elevator without another word, Tony on his six.

**

“Gibbsgibbsgibbsgibbsgibbs!” Abby was at least acting fairly normal, which was a definite improvement over her sullenness over the past 3 weeks. “We got him! McGee sent me the breadcrumb he found in the financial software, and I was able to dig through his hardrive to find a hidden _blahblahblahblah technospeak blah blah blah_ ” “Get to the point Abs” he winced a little as the words came out a bit harsher than he intended. “Ok...bottom line...we have the evidence, on his own computer, that he stole the goods. Which links him to the murders!” Abby was so excited she started doing a little dance and humming the chorus from “Another one bites the dust.” Gibbs couldn't help but smile at her. “Good work Abs. Tony, take McGee...pick him up.”

***

Abby felt relieved that Gibbs was finally smiling again! He wasn't mad at her! He was still a grumpy Gus, but that would pass. She was still worried about Katherine, though. But she wanted to let her come around first. She just couldn't stop thinking about her, or what she and Gibbs had talked about to make him so grumpy, or any of it.

***

Katherine stepped out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel. The hot, lavender scented water still dripping from her skin as she flipped the drain open. This whole “night to yourself” stuff was kinda nice, but she was sure she’d get tired of it real fast once Nate went to college in the fall. She'd managed to convince him to try a year or two of school before deciding on a career in the Marines. She had nothing against that, but she knew he was young, and it was a big commitment.

She draped the towel over the top of the shower curtain and pulled on her pajamas. A soft silky set that she hadn't worn in years--mostly because she'd be embarrassed if Nate saw her in them! Shorts and a lacy tank were something she had bought herself as a present...nobody else had ever seen them. Since it was a little chilly in the apartment, she pulled her cotton robe over her shoulders just as she heard the doorbell ring. She glanced at the clock... _it’s 9pm_ , she thought, _who the hell is ringing my bell?_ She pulled her robe tight and looked through the peephole. She saw the icy blue eyes first...it had taken 2 weeks, but he was here.

Katherine took a deep breath and opened the door. “Hi Leroy” she said as she opened the door for him. “Have a seat,” she motioned toward her sofa, “care for a drink? I don't have bourbon, but I've got beer.” “That works” Gibbs responded as he sat on the chair next to her couch. As Katherine disappeared into the kitchen, Gibbs took in the room. Clean lines and modern furnishings felt odd to him. At first it felt sterile and cold, but the more he looked, the more he saw of her personality and the important things in her life. The mantel contained an array of photos, so Gibbs stood and began looking at each of them. The largest in the center was a much younger Katherine, holding a very young son and standing with an attractive blonde marine. Her husband, he assumed. There were some candid shots of the whole family when the boy was younger, but the Marine was absent in most of the photos. And the last photo he came to, at the end of the mantle but still in front, felt like punch in the gut. He gently lifted the frame and ran his fingers across the faces it contained. Kelly’s 4th birthday. Kelly and Katie were blowing bubbles at the camera as he and Shannon stood behind them. “I have more, if you'd like copies” Katherine told him, and set his beer on the coffee table. “I'd like that,” he responded, and returned to the chair.

“Thank you for coming. I know I owe you more than a mumbling tearful apology,” she smiled to try and hide her embarrassment at breaking into tears so easily. It didn't work. “No harm in letting it out,” he said, trying to reassure her. He leaned forward to place a hand on her shoulder, but thought better of it. He wasn't sure of what he should do or say, and having this younger woman who so closely resembled the love of his life, sitting in front of him in a robe and silky pajamas was not making any of this easier.

“Look, let’s start by getting to know each other again...sound good?” Katherine saw him struggling, and the suggestion was the best she could come up with. Thankfully, he seemed relieved. “Yes, it does.”

“Hello,” Katherine stood and placed her hands on her chest in mock sincerity, “my name is Katherine Fielding-McDonough, and I'm NOT an alcoholic” Gibbs had to chuckle at the joke. It did seem a little ridiculous to be “re-introducing” himself to someone he’s technically known since she was 8. “But seriously… Here’s the basic lowdown on my life the last 20 years. I met David while I was still pre-law. I finished that degree and we married soon after. I got pregnant while I was in school, but I still graduated near the top of my class, and Nate was born. 6 years later, David was killed in Afghanistan. It almost killed me, honestly, but I had Nate to keep me going. He needed his mom, and so I was there. He has done some amazing things in school;, he volunteers, he’s been offered a soccer scholarship this fall. He wanted to join the Marines like his dad, but I convinced him to take at least 2 years of college first.” Gibbs bristled at the implication… The Marines weren't good enough for her son? She must have noticed, because she continued “oh, don't give me that look. It's a big commitment, and he tends to leap before looking. I want him to grow up a little before he jumps in head first.” Gibbs settled at the explanation. It made sense. And now Katherine was looking at him...expecting him to reply with his life story. He sighed. “Got remarried. Got divorced. Three times. Now I just stick to building boats in my basement.”

“Or dollhouses?”

“Goddaughter.” Short and accurate.

Katherine couldn't help it. She kept looking into Gibbs’s eyes as she was giving him the brief synopsis of her life the past 2 decades. She loved him, she had no doubt of that. She always had. But tonight, those eyes had something else...a longing, desire...she’d never seen it from him before, but that's probably because it had been reserved for her sister. She didn't know what she wanted from those eyes, so she just kept watching, waiting to see what he did.

Gibbs could feel his heart thumping harder in his chest as Katherine looked into his eyes. God, she was beautiful, really. He tried to stop thinking of her like that, and remember the little girl he used to chase with a garden hose, but the memories wouldn't come.

It took him a while to realize they'd stopped talking. If anyone could tolerate silence, it was Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but this silence was deafening. He couldn't bear it anymore and stood up from his chair suddenly. He started to leave, but she blocked his way.

“Lee, please…” She intended to ask him why he was leaving, but the words came out deep and breathy. He took her face in his hands and brought her into a passionate kiss. But just as suddenly as he started, he backed away, fearing he crossed a line. He tried to read her reaction, but she was looking away now. _Damnit Jethro_ he scolded himself “Katie,  I'm… I'm…’ he stopped as she turned back to him, pupils dilated, her breath coming in short bursts, but with tears in her eyes.

She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him back towards her. He kissed her again, lighter this time, and she responded. She slipped her tongue past her lips and he felt her tracing his lower lip. She leaned into him and pushed him back into the living room, shedding her robe as they went.

Gibbs gasped as her hand traveled from his neck to his pants. He usually liked to romance his partners, build up to this, but if she was pulling at his belt already, he wasn't going to complain. His cock was so hard it was getting uncomfortable anyway. He hadn't been up this quickly in years. He pulled back from her lips for a second, only to untuck his shirt and unbutton his pants. His belt was off already and lying on the floor. Katherine attacked his lips again, her hands now traveling along the waist of his underwear. Gibbs moaned as her nails scraped gently across his toned stomach and made their way to his back. He brought his own hands to her hips, feeling the thinness of the material. He reached between her thighs and almost growled in anticipation, feeling just how wet she was already.

Gibbs slipped his thumbs into the waistband of her pajamas and quickly pushed them to the floor. He then repeated the process with his jeans and underwear, feeling relief as his cock was freed from its restrictive position. Katherine dropped to her knees in front of him, and before he knew it, he was in her mouth. He gasped at the sudden heat surrounding the head of his dick, then groaned in pleasure as she began circling her tongue around the tip. She wasted no time, using both her hands on his balls and the sweet spot behind them. Suddenly she backed up and let his dick fall from her mouth. He grunted in disappointment, but saw her repeating the process on her own fingers. God, it was hot, and then she returned to his cock, quickly making up for the lost time. Except this time, instead of her fingers pushing against his sweet spot, they were brushing against his asshole. He almost jumped at first, not expecting the jolt of sensation. She slowed and looked up at him for a sign...something that would tell her to stop or keep going. He met her eyes and, as nervous as he was, slowly nodded. She closed her eyes again and he felt her pull more of his cock into her mouth. As she focused on the ridge with her tongue, he felt a pressure and her finger slipped inside him. He gasped and squirmed. It felt weird, but good. She didn't move for a little while, but soon he felt her moving in and out of him. She backed off his cock and simply ran her tongue across the tip as she crooked her finger and hit his prostate. The feeling alone almost sent him over the edge and he had to grasp the base of his cock and balls tightly to prevent that. “Wait” he whispered “I need you.” She looked up at him, red hair mingling with the greying patch of hair between his legs. She stood, fingernails dragging across his thighs, hips, and around his ass. Gibbs moaned, then growled as he pushed her onto the couch. Usually he would protest at such a location, with his bad knee and all, but tonight he didn't care.

Katherine fell back onto the couch as Gibbs fell on top of her. His lips and tongue were licking and sucking her hard nipples through her top. The sensation of warm mouth and tight material rubbing against her was driving her crazy. “Please, Lee…” she said, this time he knew exactly what she was asking. He grasped the base of his cock and guided it into her. She arched her hips up and cried out as he entered her. He paused, taking a few deep breaths to slow himself down. She felt so fucking good, he didn't want it to end before it even started. He wasn't 16 anymore for God's sake. Katherine couldn't wait any longer. She writhed beneath him, reaching between them to rub her clit in slow circles. Her breath was shallow and she felt flushed all over. He felt her tighten around him and pushed deeper into her. Katherine wrapped her legs around him, granting him deeper access as he began thrusting in earnest. He leaned into one hand and used the other to roll her nipple between his fingers. She clenched around him and moaned, pulling him down on top of her close enough to bury her head in his neck. She began sucking and licking and nibbling on his neck, and when she hit the spot where his neck meets his collarbone, he cried out in pleasure. She felt him increase his pace, felt her own orgasm quickly approaching, and she reached down and grabbed his ass, pulling him deeper into her with each thrust. Katherine called out his name as he pushed her over the edge, shaking and shuddering in his arms. Her cries were the last straw for Gibbs, and he quickly felt his own release as his muscles tightened and he pushed into her with a roar.

Not wanting to separate just yet, Gibbs rested on his elbows on top of the beautiful redhead, kissing her neck, her earlobes, her chin. When he met her eyes, he was shocked. In his post-orgasm haze, he’d expected blue eyes...he had thought for just a moment… And he broke down in tears. Tears nobody had seen before, and would never have happened except in the blissful moments after such an intense lovemaking. Katherine pulled him close and held him tight as he let out 20 years of grief, and then fell asleep in her arms.


	4. Crazy Hats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Gibbs and Katherine spend the night together...and what about Abby?

Gibbs woke before the sun, expecting to find himself still entangled in the arms of the woman he’d made love with the night before. He expected he could quietly collect his clothes and slip out the door, heading back to his house for a shower before work. But he was alone, a soft blanket covering his naked body. He stretched and inhaled as the smell of strong black coffee filled his senses. _Where the hell are my pants?_ He thought as he sat up. They were lying on the floor in a haphazard pile of his clothing and pink satin. _Shit. Last night..._ what was last night? He felt his morning erection growing more just thinking about it, but stubbornly pulled his pants on and threw his underwear in the pocket. It was uncomfortable, but he’d deal. Shirtless, he followed the smell of coffee brewing to the kitchen, and saw an empty cup resting next to the pot. Grateful for the unspoken offer, he filled the cup and tried a sip, finding it actually pretty good. Then he looked around through the sliding doors across the kitchen table, where he saw Katherine. She had obviously showered and dressed and was sitting on her balcony, knees pulled up to her chest, hands cradling her own steaming cup of coffee.

“Morning” Gibbs said as he walked out the door. “Almost,” Katherine replied, but didn't look at him. He stepped in front of her and pulled another deck chair close to hers. He wasn't a “morning after conversation” kinda guy, but something was up. Yeah, besides  _that._

They sat in silence for several minutes until she broke the silence. “We can't… That wasn't us, Leroy. It wasn't about us.” She turned to look at him, fidgeting with the handle of her cup. She knew what last night was about...her sister. She had wanted to be as close to him as possible, just because she missed the closeness she had with both of them. He had wanted...Shannon. It was clear the moment he looked in her eyes, like he’d been shot in the heart that she didn't have her sister’s deep hypnotic blue eyes.

Gibbs nodded. He knew she was right. They sat in silence and finished their coffees. Fifteen minutes later, Gibbs stood and held out his hand to her. She slid her feet to the floor and stood with him and sighed as his arms pulled her close. In this embrace, he was back to being the man she had looked up to as a child, not a lover. He squeezed her tight and ended the embrace with a kiss to her cheek and rested his forehead on hers.

“Don't be a stranger Katie. And call me Jethro. Nobody calls me Leroy anymore.” She looked into his eyes, so close to hers.

“Katherine." He nodded in understanding. And I won't if you won't.” He nodded again as he backed away, and then he was gone. Katherine saw him gather his clothes and slip out the door of her apartment. As she watched his car drive away, she gasped... _Abby..._ She thought. _What did I do?_ The guilt made her stomach churn. She had to talk to her, but what could she say? She headed back to her bedroom and tried to get another hour or two of sleep, but was unsuccessful. All she could think about was the woman who had flipped her world upside down with only 2 conversations, and whose trust she had just completely shattered.

“Mom? Mom?” Katherine opened her eyes to hear her son coming into the entryway. “Um...mom? You ok?” _Crap...the mess in the living room._ She stood and straightened her clothing and walked out to find Nate picking up the pajamas from the floor, her robe already over his arm.

“I don't wanna know...I'm just gonna head to my room and turn my music on. Here’s these...um...yeah” Nate tossed the silky material into her arms and jogged back to his room. Katherine couldn't contain her laughter. Nate obviously assumed she had a woman in her bed (the thought of his mom in satin and lace would have been way worse), and was UTTERLY embarrassed. She had to use that. _It’s a mother’s job, after all, to embarrass her child,_ she thought, so she followed him. “Sweetie, don't worry, nobody is here. I took the sock off the knob already!” She laughed as she heard him groan and crank the volume on his music. He knew she had had a few partners since his dad, of both sexes, but he was a teenager now and the simple thought of his mom getting naked with anyone was “totally gross.”

Diversions aside, Katherine had to talk with Abby. She reached into her wallet and removed the post-it note that had been left on her kitchen island that first night. Shaking, she dialed it.

_"Hello?"_

"Hi Abby...it's Katherine."

_"Oh gosh, HI! I totally knee you were gonna call today. Did you and Gibbs talk? He was so grumpy for like 2 weeks, and yesterday he actually smiled, so I thought maybe..."_

Katherine just listened to her talk. She obviously cared about Le--Jethro. She cared about her. It may have been easier for some people to just let last night stay private, but that didn't sit well with Katherine.

"Abby," she said, when Abby took a breath, "we should talk. Are you free for lunch?"  _The sooner the better. Just get it over with,_ she thought.

" _Absolutely. But it's silly hat day. Do you have one? If not, I can make you one."_

Katherine laughed, "no I don't, go for it." They proceeded to set up a where and when, and Katherine hung up the phone.

"NATE!" She had to shout over the sound of his music. "Hurry up! You're gonna be late for practice!"

***Abby was drowning in evidence. The MCRT had been called in early for a double homicide, and when Abby got to her lab there were already stacks of totes to go through. It was almost noon, and she knew she wouldn't get a stopping point any time soon. Not leaving her computer, she punched hit the ‘call’ button to connect with Katherine’s username on Skype. As the call rang she realized her mistake: Katherine hadn't even told her she had Skype! Before she could end the call, though, Katherine’s amused face appeared on her screen. “I should have known you’d have more than my cell number,” and her smiled eased Abby’s fears of being seen as a creepy stalker. “What’s up?”

Abby glanced at the pike of untouched totes over her shoulder. “Ah, buried in work?” It wasn't often that Abby let someone else do most of the talking, but she just nodded. “Yeah, and if I don't get through all of this, Gibbs is totally going to have my hide.”

“He may be a bastard, but he can't keep you from eating dear.” Katherine's endearment made Abby’s heart flutter, just a little. “Well, of course I can  _ eat _ , I just can't really leave...I gotta keep an eye on my babies.” 

“Text me your order. I'll be there in 30.” Abby knew it wasn't really a good idea...Gibbs wouldn't like a visitor in her lab, especially while she was processing evidence, but everything was on security cameras, so as long as Katherine didn't touch anything, she was legally fine. And there were no rules against visitors for lunch. “OK. Can't wait!” She beamed at the camera before hitting the red button indicating an end to the call. As soon as the screen went blank, she hopped in a circle for a few seconds, switched her CD to something a little less dark, and cranked up the volume. Quickly she sent Katherine a text and got right back to work. If she was going to take a break to talk, she had to make sure she got a lot done before Katherine got there.

As the line went blank, Katherine felt her gut churning. She knew she had to talk to Abby today, but doing it on Jethro's turf? She hadn't mentioned to him just what spurred her sudden desire to talk and make things right. If they were so heavily involved with a case, he could very likely be there, or come in while they were talking. It wasn't the smartest idea she’d had, but her desire to see the spunky woman had overridden the more logical parts of her brain. 

Her phone chirped with a text from Abby. Her wrap order first, and at the bottom it said  _ “and a side order of you...I hope you weren't planning on just ordering me some delivery out of pity for my slave-driver boss!” _ Katherine smiled and could t help herself when she replied “I'll be there...and who knows, maybe you’ll be on the menu too ;)”   _ Oh god, I'm in deep trouble if I'm texting like a teenager,  _ she thought. The reply came faster than she expected.  _ “I've got a futon in my office…” _

_ Yup. I'm in trouble. _

The lab phone rang and Abby picked up. “Mistress Abigail’s house of pain and devil worship, how may I help?” She knew it wasn't her team--they never used that phone--so she liked to mess with whoever else called.  _ “Uh...forensics?”  _ “Yup, that’s my day job!” She responded with a laugh. Must be the front desk.  _ “I have a visitor for Ms. Sciuto, a Ms. McDonough?”  _ “Ah, my next victim! Send her down!” Abby heard laughing in the background of the call before the guard hung up. She could imagine his face--he must be new. Everyone at the front desk liked to initiate newbies with calls to her lab, and she was glad she lived up to her reputation.

5 minutes later she heard the elevator doors slide open and a burly, scowling agent knocked on the frame of her open door. “Ms. Scuito? You have a visitor.” Abby turned and, as expected, saw Katherine behind the agent, wearing a visitor tag and waving a brown paper bag. “Yup, that one’s mine,” she started as she walked right past the tall and muscular man. She wrapped her hands around the back of Katherine’s neck and pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss. It only lasted a few seconds, but was enough to make Katherine a little weak in the knees. “I'll take it from here” she said as she wrapped her arm around Katherine's shoulders and turned, beaming, toward the agent. He paused, not even attempting to hide his shock, or the rising bulge in his pants. “Um… Yes… Yes ma'am…” he stuttered as he backed towards the elevator.

“So, you said something about crazy hats?” Abby smiled. Katherine didn't act fazed at all over the encounter. “Well, I've been busy, but I did have time for this” she pulled a scrub cap from the pocket of her lab coat. On the front were red and orange flames (“cuz you're totally hot and your hair is so red,” she was informed), with a “Mohawk” of pipette tips glued to the top. Katherine laughed, but Abby was incredibly serious as she took the cap from her hands and put it on her head. She proceeded to stand on her toes, lean even closer to Katherine, wrap her arms around her neck, and tie the cap in the back. Katherine stopped laughing and placed her hands on Abby’s waist.  _ God, this woman is going to be the death of me _ , she thought as Abby pulled her into a tight hug and gave her body a wiggle. “PERFECT!” She exclaimed, and bounced back into her lab.  "Hey, wait...where's yours?" Katherine called, as she followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, sorry for the delay. The first 3 chapters were written when I posted the story, but the rest are still in my head! I'll try to post at least one per week. Some more fluffy, some quite deliciously dirty. Thanks for the kudos and comments!


	5. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gibbs is distracted, and Tony can't figure it out. Abby and Katherine talk in the lab. Will there be tension in the workplace?

The elevator doors slid open and Tony headed for his desk, 2 coffees in hand. As usual, his boss is there, and as usual, finishing his first [or second? Third?] coffee of the day. Tony hands him the tall black coffee, keeping his hazelnut creme, and sits down. Thankfully, Gibbs doesn't seem quite as cranky today, and Tony is able to get a head start on some paperwork before McGee and Bishop arrive.

“Grab your gear. Double homicide. Call McGee.”

“On your six, boss” tiny called as he grabbed his bag and ran to the elevator. He dialed McGee as the elevator opened and they agreed to just meet at the scene. Although Gibbs wasn't cranky, he wasn't exactly chipper either, and not even Tony's half hearted joking seemed to grab his attention. Most of the ride was spent in silence.

Tony was taking photos and sketching when McGee and Bishop arrived, just after Ducky and Palmer. He didn’t even think about protocol or chain of command, he just knew there was a LOT of evidence to examine and collect, especially since the local LEOs had thoroughly contaminated the scene and needed to be eliminated. “McGee, you’re on evidence collection. Bishop, take finger prints, foot prints, DNA, tongue prints, whatEVER…we need anything we can get on these LEOs so we can sort it out later.” Gibbs was standing by the truck with his coffee, watching the scene. He should have been doing the delegating, but hadn’t been fast enough. He knew he was leaving slack, but DiNozzo was always on the ball. He was barely thinking about this case, and he knew it. Tony knew it too, he could tell from the way those green eyes met his in that moment. He nodded very slightly—just enough to acknowledge Tony’s questioning eyes, but not enough for anyone else to notice. Tony smiled and turned back to his team, thoroughly enjoying his temporary control over the whole scene. Maybe it really was time for Gibbs to retire. Heck, Tony may be better than him, if he’d take the opportunity. A pang of guilt hit him then…he had the opportunity…and he’d been treated like dirt for it. It seemed like it was water under the bridge, but he’d never apologized. Rule 6 be damned, he’d learned that sometimes…sometimes you’re wrong. He’s just stubborn enough that it takes him a long ass time to realize it. If Katie…Katherine…can come to him after 20 years, maybe it’s time he talked with DiNozzo about—  
  
“Jethro!?”  
  
Gibbs was pulled out of his train of thought by Ducky’s shout. “What, Duck?”  
  
“Jethro, my boy, I’ve been trying to get your attention for a while now…what is going on in that head of yours?”  
  
“Nothin’ Duck. What do we got?”  
  
With that, Gibbs slipped back into Team Lead mode. Tony sighed, almost expecting a reprimand for taking over the entire morning’s evidence collection. Maybe he misunderstood their little unspoken interchange just 15 minutes ago, and he flinched as Gibbs raised his hand. Surprisingly, the hand came to rest at the base of his neck, and gave a slight reassuring squeeze. Tony turned to look at his boss, but the man was already absorbed in Ducky’s report of his initial examination of the bodies. First he’s not cranky…then he’s actually DISTRACTED at a crime scene…now he’s being…NICE? Something is wrong. Tony hid his concern for now, but he’d have to try to get his boss to talk at some point. No way Gibbs was being NICE for no reason. Maybe he was dying. Maybe Tony was dying and Gibbs was the first to know. It had to be something like that.  
  
The ride back to the Quantico was quiet. Normally, Gibbs would have grabbed another coffee, but the one Tony had brought was still half full. Tony spent his time divided between gripping the door handle to keep himself stable, and watching his boss out of the corner of his eye. He wasn’t a stranger to Gibbs silence, but this was different. Something was weighing on him, and Tony could feel it. But, much like you shouldn’t interrupt Gibbs in interrogation, he also knew you don’t interrupt his stewing. The man doesn’t talk unless it’s his idea.  
  
“Get this stuff to Abby,” Gibbs told Tony as they pulled into the garage right in front of the truck, and he headed for the elevator.

*****

  
“Hey Abbs!” Tony grinned widely at the bubbly scientist “Don’t say I never gave you anything” and he dropped 2 totes of evidence on the table, motioning McGee and Bishop to bring theirs in as well. “Duck will have plenty of stuff for you too…have fun”  
  
“I love presents, Tony, but you’re just too generous!” Abby laughed “Anything specific you need me to start with?”  
  
“Elimination prints are here, that’s as good a place as any,” Tony replied, as he pulled a caf-pow from inside one of the totes. “Figured this might help too.”  
  
“Oh Tony, you know me too well!” Abby smiled as Tony ruffled her pigtails and left for the elevator, McGee and Bishop trailing behind.   _Lunch may not happen...I’ll skype Katherine if I get stuck_  
  
*****  
  
Back in the bullpen, McGee and Bishop are typing feverishly. McGee is researching financial records for the two dead petty officers, and Bishop is digging into a former shipmate who had made threats just two weeks prior. Tony had his list of duties, but paused to lean back in his chair and stretch. He looked across the aisle and noticed Gibbs wasn’t at his desk. Glancing around, he saw his boss, still nursing the same coffee Tony had brought him several hours ago (although he had let Tony reheat it), standing by the window obviously deep in thought. _Damn. I may get killed for this._ Tony thought as he stood and slowly approached Gibbs.  
  
“Boss?”  
  
“Yeah, DiNozzo?” It wasn’t nearly as harsh as Tony had expected, and Gibbs didn’t look away from the window. Tony didn’t want to try and draw him out so publicly, so he clapped a hand to Gibbs’s shoulder. “My office?” Gibbs met his eyes then, and Tony motioned to the back of the room, Gibbs huffed in annoyance, but followed. In the crook of the stairs, Tony stopped and turned so Gibbs had his back to the wall.  
  
“Boss, I’ve seen you pissed, I’ve seen you ignore everyone, I’ve seen you hurt, but I’ve never seen you…distracted.” Tony lowered his gaze and whispered the last word, afraid of bringing back the anger of the past few weeks, but something had to be said. He continued, “I don’t know what it is, but it’s freaking everyone out.” As always, the more he talked, the bolder he got, “And I’ll be damned if I let my friend off his game without at least offering to help.” With that last sentence, he met Gibbs’s gaze. He didn’t see anger or hurt that Tony thought he was off his game, he saw…a smirk? Expecting a headslap, Tony braced himself, but Gibbs just took a long swig from his coffee cup, never breaking eye contact, then walked past Tony, right to his desk.  
  
“Where are we?” He asked as he strolled down the aisle. All 3 of his agents scrambled what they had, McGee taking control of the screen first. “I looked through their financials and found something interesting…I don’t think they were just shipmates, Boss.”  
  
“spit it out McGee.”  
  
“Their credit cards seem to show a lot of purchases together—at least they were splitting the checks evenly—especially when they were on leave, and usually at least an hour outside DC. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell may have been repealed, but it’s still hard to be on a ship with so many people who think it shouldn’t have been.”  
  
“Like this guy—“ Bishop grabbed the remote from McGee’s hand. “Petty Officer Daryl Schuman. One of our vics had reported him for harassment and threats, but he just got a slap on the wrist. I spoke with some of his friends, and he had a real vendetta against ‘queers’ on ‘his ship.’” Bishop’s disgust with the man was evident when she used not just her hands, but her face, to accentuate the scare quotes. “He also has a juvie record. Supposed to be sealed, but…well, let’s just say I found it. Assault and attempted rape at 16 of a fellow high school student. One of the cheerleaders…the only male cheerleader…”  
  
Gibbs wished he hadn’t finished that coffee. “Do we have anything solid, or is this guy just an asshole?”  
  
“He’s alibi’d with 3 of his buddies from his hometown. They were out having drinks at the time of the deaths,” Tony chimed in, “but I’m not so sure I believe them. The bar’s surveillance system was down, and Abby’s checking traffic and ATM cameras in the area, but we haven’t heard anything yet. There was only one other DNA sample at the scene, not 4, so I don’t think they’re all working together…they’re not smart enough to hide evidence.”  
  
Gibbs nodded, “call the lab, see what Abby's got.” McGee brought the lab camera online, but Abby wasn't there. McGee tried her phone, and the team hers it ringing, but there was no answer. “Well, it IS lunch time...maybe she’s out?” Bishop offered.

“Let's find out. DiNozzo.” Gibbs beckoned as he headed for the elevator, and Tony fell in behind him and hit the button for Abby’s lab.

  
*****  
  
Nearly 15 minutes after Katherine had arrived at Quantico, she and Abby were laughing and finishing up their lunches (neither was a stranger to a lunch-on-the-run). She was having such a good time, and reveling in the exuberant smiles emanating from the spunky goth, that Katherine had almost forgotten why she was there. With that thought, Katherine heard Abby exclaim, “OH, I should totally make Gibbs a hat! Maybe I can get a picture of Grumpy from Snow White!” She turned to Katherine, expecting a laugh, but saw her pulling the hat off her head and trying to straighten her hair.  
  
“Abby, there’s something I need to tell you”  
  
Abby’s smile dropped “Uh oh…that’s never good…”  
  
“I like you. A lot. I want to get to know you, and you’re the first woman in a long time to make my stomach do somersaults when I think about you. But I screwed up.” She wasn’t hiding, she wasn’t hanging her head, she was looking Abby straight in the eyes. She wasn’t going to run from the consequences of her actions the night before. “What you said earlier, about Leroy—Jethro—and I talking is all true. He came over to my apartment, we talked about our lives the past 20 years, and then…” Katherine sighed as she felt her hands start to shake. “We spent the night together, Abby. On the couch like a couple of goddamn teenagers.”  
  
Abby didn’t respond. Not verbally, not with body language, nothing.  
  
“I know we haven’t even really started dating or anything, but I couldn’t NOT tell you. And I completely understand and absolutely respect if you want to just be friends, or throw me out, or anything like that. As much as I’d still like to start over, I get that being with someone who slept with your boss is more than a little weird.” With that, Katherine finally dropped her gaze. Abby’s silence was completely unnerving, especially now that she’s met the “real” Abby.  
  
“Do you want to be with him? Cuz he totally deserves to be happy, and if he wants to be with you, then…” Abby was biting her lip, almost afraid of the answer.  
  
“No. Last night was…” Katherine sighed and paused. “I’m not sure what it was, but no, it wasn’t about us being together. It was almost like a flashback. Like we were both trying to get back to a happier time, with happier people who truly loved us. For him, at least, it was definitely about Shannon.”  
  
Abby thought about this. She liked Katherine, and it’d been awhile since someone had truly appreciated her for _her_ . Honestly, not since Bert. But she had slept with someone else. But it’s not like they were dating. And plus, it’s Gibbs…who wouldn’t want to sleep with him? But what if she changed her mind and wanted to be with Gibbs?  
  
Katherine watched Abby’s thought process. It wasn’t too hard…she was tilting her head from side to side like an excited puppy. She silenced the chuckle in her throat, and just waited.  
  
“Was it hot?”  
  
_?? what??_ Not the question she was expecting… “what?”  
  
“Was it hot? Cuz Gibbs totally has this whole silver fox thing going on, and you can tell he’s totally ripped…”  
  
Katherine searched Abby’s face for signs of a trap. She didn’t get that vibe, and Abby was smiling, so, in all seriousness, she responded: “Totally hot.”  
  
They both laughed, more out of relief than anything, and Abby stood and walked to the back of her lab, toward her office. The door slid open and she looked over her shoulder, taking off her lab coat. “So, counselor…I’m legally guaranteed 30 minutes for lunch, correct?” Katherine quickly followed, and Abby manually locked the sliding door.  
  
“So…how hot was it?” Abby asked. By the twinkling in her eyes, Katherine knew where this was going. Abby obviously had a little thing for her boss, and wanted Katherine to tell her more. _Shit, she’s amazing_ Katherine thought.  
  
“Well, you’re right…he’s ripped. It may not be the over-done six pack of some 23 year old gym rat, but…let's just say once a Marine, always a Marine.”  
  
Abby pulled Katherine closer and whispered “so…you’ve got 10 minutes to give me something equally hot to think about as I go through my day working with him.” Katherine moaned into Abby’s mouth as she pushed her back onto the futon against the wall. Given Abby’s comment about what was on the menu for dessert, Katherine was definitely looking forward to the next 10 minutes.

Abby had already divested herself of her platform boots, and Katherine knelt on the ground and pulled her tights down her legs. Nothing under the tights…the sight of Abby’s neatly trimmed lips made Katherine’s mouth water. She’d always been told she had an oral fixation, and no partner of hers had ever complained. She pushed Abby’s legs apart and expertly plunged her tongue deep into the folds, quickly circling Abby’s clit. Abby tried to arch up to meet her, but Katherine kept her hand on her hip. Normally, Katherine would revel in the sounds coming from her partner, spend countless minutes licking, sucking, nibbling, scratching, and stroking them right to the edge and back off, until they can’t help but beg for release. But time was a-ticking. It made this more exciting, but nerve-wracking too. Katherine didn’t know Abby’s likes, she didn’t know any tricks to help speed this up, nothing. She just had to go on instinct.

So far, she wasn’t doing too bad, judging by how Abby was reacting, and Katherine slid two fingers into the slick passage below her tongue. Abby gasped and moaned quietly as Katherine hooked her fingers and massaged the spongy area that she knew would make Abby melt in her mouth. She found that Abby preferred indirect stimulation and she was grabbing at the futon cover, at her skirt, at Katherine’s hair, anything, as Katherine flicked her tongue around the edges of her clit, sometimes gentle fluttering touches, sometimes pushing her mouth hard against her lover. When Abby was panting and clenching around her fingers, Katherine attacked Abby’s clit with her mouth, pulling the nub between her lips and sucking on it as she began plunging her fingers into Abby, pulling her almost off the edge of the futon, covering her mouth with her arm to muffle the sounds of her climax. When Abby was reduced to simply quivering at her touch, Katherine kissed her thighs, her stomach, her neck, and finally, her mouth. Abby moaned as she tasted herself, and reached to feel how she had affected Katherine. Pleased to feel wetness through her pants, Abby smiled “so, was THAT hot?” Katherine closed her eyes at Abby’s touch, and knew this would be a game for quite a while. “Very hot.”  
  
As Abby pulled her tights back on, not bothering to clean up the wetness still dripping from her thighs, there was a banging at the door. “Shit!” Abby exclaimed, as she looked at the clock. Katherine was pleased to note that they still had 5 minutes to spare. _Almost a record._  
  
“Abby! Are you OK?! Abby!” At least the room was fairly sound proof…but how long had Gibbs been looking for her?

*****

Gibbs stood by the door to Abby's office. He hated how she had rearranged, and now he couldn't see the whole thing from the glass door. It was never locked, and he could see Abby's cost and one of her boots on the floor. _Jesus, she better be alright._ He thought as he contemplated shooting through the glass to get to his team member. Just then, he saw Abby collecting her boot and jacket, and noted her disheveled hair and off-kilter tights. Her cheeks were red and her lips swollen.

“Abby, what's going on?” He bellowed as she opened the door. He tried to push past her, but she grabbed his arm and used his momentum to spin him towards the lab. “Just having lunch, jeez Gibbs!” As she got closer, he caught the unmistakable smell of sex. Stopping in his tracks, ignoring Abby's direction to leave, he turned back toward the office and saw who Abby had been ‘having lunch’ with.

“Hey Jethro,” she said, meeting his eyes. Her timidity toward him previously was gone, or artfully hidden, and she confidently strode toward Abby. With a glance at each other, Abby wrapped an arm around Katherine’s waist and Katherine again addressed him, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, "I may not work in employment regulations, but I'm pretty sure you're legally supposed to allow at least 30 minutes for lunch. Abby’s only up to," she looks at her watch, "25.” 

Abby quickly gets back to work, computers whirring as she reopens the programs she had locked when Katherine arrived, leaning into the quick kiss placed on her cheek as her guest headed for the elevator. Gibbs followed, sliding into the elevator just before they shut, and  Tony just stood in the middle of it all, looking awfully bewildered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a future note, I did just change some of the tags. I don't usually do character crossovers, but I saw an episode of numb3rs the other night which inspired me. Not for this chapter, but eventually.


	6. The elevator and the basement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gibbs and Katherine on the elevator, and Tony visits Gibbs in the basement.

Silence hung in the air of the elevator as it slowly began its ascent. Gibbs felt the tension build in his jaw, his neck, his shoulders, until he slammed his fist onto the emergency stop button. As the lights dimmed, he spun to meet Katherine’s eyes, his icy glare could burn holes through metal. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but right now he didn’t care. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He growled through gritted teeth. Normally, that tone of voice would cause anyone to cringe, but she didn’t. She took a deep breath that was just shaky enough for him to know she wasn’t totally calm and collected, and stepped TOWARD him. Quietly, but firmly, she said “What do you think pushed me to see you?” He waited for her to continue, but she didn’t. She was just a few inches from his face, eyes locked on his, but there wasn’t a challenge, there wasn’t fear, there wasn’t malice…just…honesty. _Shit. It’s like yelling at a goddamn puppy._ He didn’t back down, but he broke the silence. “If you hurt her, family or not, I **will** hurt you.” She nodded, “Noted. And before you ask, yes, she knows about last night.” With the mention of what had happened, he saw and even felt the heat rise across her face, neck, ears, everything (redheads…can’t hide a blush if they tried). “For what it’s worth, I expected to be kicked out on my ass today…” with this, her blush intensified, if that was even possible, and she dropped her eyes. “Abby’s just…intoxicating.” Gibbs snorted “Abby’s a lot of things.”

With some of the tension broken, Katherine stepped back and leaned on the wall of the elevator. “Is that why you’re upset?” He rubbed his face with his hand as he thought about her question. It was an honest one. _Is this about Abby, or us?_ Was the implication. _There isn’t an ‘us’_ he thought. This was the part of him that all his ex-wives couldn’t stand. The internal monologue that they just had to sit and watch as the wheels spun in his head. They all would cuss and yell about how he couldn’t communicate, but Katherine just watched and waited. Shit, she was more like her sister than she realized.

“I don’t know.” He finally responded, with a sigh. At his admission, she stepped forward and pulled him into an embrace. She was the one who had come to his workplace and done who-knows-what to HIS Abby, and here she was hugging him. It was irritating, but not unwelcome, and he wrapped his arms around her. “Lee,” He bristled again at his old nickname, “I want to be with Abby. I want to try. And last night made everything a hundred times more complicated, but I can’t change that. I don’t regret it, and I do love you, but not in that way. You’re family. We’re not lovers, and as much as I’ve been told I grew up to be like Shannon, I’m not her.” Hearing his love’s name, he leaned away from the embrace, but she held him tight, only lifting her head. “I’m not perfect, nobody is. Can we please try to be around each other…like the family we are?” He took a few breaths and nodded. She moved her arms and brought her hands to the sides of his head, pushing it down slightly so she could lay a kiss on his forehead. “Mulligan?” she asked. He smiled, _Finally,_ she thought. “Mulligan,” He replied, and released the elevator so he could escort her to her car.

* * * * *

The dollhouse had been set aside for now, and Gibbs was finished laying out the skeleton of his new boat. He preferred something less delicate to work on when he had a lot on his mind. It was more forgiving if he got overly zealous with sanding, or he needed a hard surface to pound on with his fist. The case had taken almost a week to close. As expected, the victims were seeing each other, that part was easy to prove. The old shipmate had a grudge, no doubt about that, and was one nasty individual (Gibbs had ensured his discharge and court martial for the previous assault), but Abby had found him and his friends on an ATM camera outside the bar at the time of the murders. Turns out, one of the vics was engaged to be married to his high school sweetheart, and her brother had found out about the on-ship romance. He found out when he had shore leave and followed them, confronted them, and started a fight. The two men were well trained, but unarmed, and the brother had the advantage of a knife and 10 years of MMA fighting. The fiancée was honestly devastated, she truly loved the young man, and didn’t know anything about the affair or her brother’s intentions. Three families destroyed. Gibbs felt the occasional wave of nausea as he remembered…thank God for Shannon.

He heard his door open and instantly recognized the gait, breaking him from his thoughts. He laughed under his breath as his visitor immediately went to his fridge. _Make yourself at home, DiNozzo_ he thought. Seconds later, the younger man was coming down the stairs with 2 beers. He offered one to Gibbs, who casually gestured to the jar and loose screws on his work bench. “Bourbon kinda night then?” Tony asked. Gibbs huffed in the affirmative and continued his work. Neither man said another word for a long while. Gibbs was focused on the accuracy of his design, Tony let himself stare a bit more than usual at the muscles under the loose t-shirt that was slowly growing darker as the sweat clung to him. The silence was easy, the result of years of nonverbal communication between the two. Tony knew that just being there was showing Gibbs his support, and Gibbs felt more at ease than he had in a long time.

Tony was almost falling asleep on the railing when he heard Gibbs pour himself another glass of bourbon and drink it in one gulp. This shift usually meant Gibbs was either going to send him home or say something of note, so he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut, then open wide. He rubbed his face as Gibbs produced a photo and presented it to him. Tony took it, and immediately Gibbs turned his back and rested his hands on the work bench, shoulders hunched. Tony looked at the photo and instantly recognized a younger, and happier, version of the man before him. The woman with him was obviously his first wife, Shannon. Tony had only seen a few photos of her, but she was unforgettable. Not just because of the flame-red hair, but how younger-Gibbs was looking at her. In the foreground of the photo was a young girl, maybe 4 or 5, blowing bubbles with a teenager. The teenager had the same fiery red hair as Shannon, but eyes so green they could almost rival his own.

_Wait…those eyes…that hair…oh shit…_ “Boss, in Abby’s lab the other day…”

“Katie Fielding. Shannon’s little sister. Haven’t seen her in 20 years, and she shows up here 3 weeks ago.”

_Double shit._ Tony cracked open the second beer, even though it wasn’t nearly cold enough, and took a long draw. “Boss, no way would I have given you a hard time if I knew. That’s rough. I mean, I know it’s supposed to be a sign of weakness, but-“

“Didn’t give me a hard time, DiNozzo, You called me out. Lettin’ this get to my job. Nothing to apologize for. And besides, that rule only counts at work.”

Seeing Gibbs like this, almost **vulnerable** , was inconceivable to Tony. He stood and wanted so badly to wrap his arms around his boss, his friend, this amazing man, and hold him and make him feel safe and secure. But then he realized that might go over about as well as trying to hug a polar bear, and simply placed a hand on the back of his neck, much like he’d done several days ago to Tony. He kept his hand in place, feeling some of the tension release from the muscles beneath him. This was the longest Tony had ever dared touch his boss, and he could feel his pulse rising slowly. _Not now, damnit_ he tried to tell his body, but the longer he felt skin under his fingertips, under his palm, the faster his heart was beating. He could only hope his breathing was as even as he was trying to keep it, and his boss couldn’t feel the pounding of blood through the veins in his hand. Thankfully, before Tony’s control slipped, Gibbs straightened and Tony’s hand dropped to his side. “Thanks DiNozzo.” Tony turned away and grabbed his beer, downing it to hide his excitement at this exchange.

Once he has his “game face” back on, he said “Tony, Boss. After 15 years, if we’re not at work, you can call me Tony.” Gibbs was still facing his work bench, but replied “Thanks Tony.” _Wait…his neck is red…I wasn’t squeezing that hard…it’s not like Gibbs would BLUSH or anything…maybe he’s reacting to my soap or something…_ Tony was trying to figure out why his boss wouldn’t look at him, but replied “You’re welcome Bo—“ with that, Gibbs turned around _He IS red! Is he mad?_

“Two way street,” Gibbs interrupted Tony, “My name Is Jethro.”

Tony’s heart beat harder in his chest. _Don’t read anything into it DiNozzo…Ducky calls him Jethro, why not me? Makes sense…friends do that…_ “OK. You’re welcome…Jethro.” The name rolled off his tongue easier than he thought it would. It felt right.

Both men took a deep breath, and in an instant, Gibbs was back to his puttering and normal stoic self. After a few minutes, Gibbs had put away most of his tools and asked “It’s late and you’ve had a few. Wanna crash here? I’m on the couch anyway.”

Tony wasn’t a stranger to Gibbs’s guest bedroom, and without a beat joked “probably a good idea. My boss is a real bastard if I’m late.” The half-smile and chuckle from his host released what little tension was left between them as Tony grabbed his bottles and headed up the stairs. In the kitchen, he rinsed the bottles, setting them bottoms up to dry, and heard Gibbs behind him, no doubt wanting to wash his screw jar _He’s really got to get something more sanitary down there_ Tony thought.

And then he stopped thinking. He spun around and gathered Gibbs into his arms. Fear of personal injury had deflated any partial erection he may have had from touching Gibbs earlier, but Gibbs didn’t push him away. He froze. Tony was stubborn, though, and held on, figuring he had to play this out to the end…whatever that may be. Slowly, he felt muscles shifting under his arms, and Gibbs’s hands moved to his waist. Waiting for the hands to push him away, he was shocked when they stayed in place, and Gibbs relaxed very slightly. Tony took that as his cue, and released the older man. “Night Jethro,” he said, as he left the room and climbed the stairs.

_Too much bourbon, not enough sleep…_ Gibbs tried to convince himself that was the reason for his lightheaded feeling and the pounding in his chest, as he stood, frozen in the kitchen, and definitely NOT missing the arms that were just around his shoulders.

 

 


	7. Sniper training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gibbs remembers his sniper training

Leroy felt the familiar hand on his ankle. It had been 6 weeks of hell, rivalling those of basic training. But he'd gotten through the worst of it, with only 2 weeks left! That was a blessing and a curse, because after that, he’d inevitably lose touch with the men he’d bonded with here in the dirt and the mud and the brush. The men he’d spent 24 hours a day with; talking, working, pushing, eating, showering, sparring. He’d lose touch with his partner, his bunkmate randomly assigned to him and whom he’d immediately underestimated until the man pinned him in 7 seconds flat. He was thinner, smaller, and looked like Leroy could break him in half, but he was fast and wiry and knew how to use Leroy’s momentum against him. They'd quickly realized they were fairly evenly matched, physically as well as in their skills with a rifle. He was as good a marksman as he was a spotter, and told Leroy the same. Over the weeks, the professional, necessary touches began to linger, and Leroy started smiling just because he smiled, and he often noticed just how beautiful his dark eyes were when he laughed. 

On that day, 6 weeks into training, after Leroy nailed a particularly difficult shot, Ian whooped and landed on top of him, spinning Leroy onto his back. Their eyes met and Ian’s face paled. Frozen together, Leroy felt his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to decide how to play this out. Should he brush it off as youthful sparring? His decision was made for him when he felt his body betray what he was feeling. Ian felt it too, and his wide eyes narrowed as he smirked and dropped his body fully on top of Leroy’s and pressed their lips together into a punishing kiss. Leroy let out an embarrassing moan as he felt their groins press together. The shot forgotten, their hands explored each other’s bodies and the kiss intensified until Leroy’s eyes flew open and he suddenly and forcefully pushed Ian back. 

“Jesus, Lee,” Ian exclaimed as he landed on his ass in the dirt, “what the hell? You could've just said no!” His eyes narrowed at Leroy in anger until he saw the genuine panic in his face.

“Shit, Ian...shit… Shit…”

Ian sighed. “Is this the ‘I just made out with a guy and I liked it’ panic? Cuz that'll pass, don't worry.”

“I'm fucking MARRIED!” Leroy shouted.

Ian closed his eyes. Just his luck to get a hard on for a hot marine who happened to be married and, unlike some of the other men, actually felt bad about his indiscretions. “Ok, and what she doesn't know won't hurt her, right?” He figured he’d test the waters.

This was the wrong approach, and Ian felt the heat from Leroy’s face as he pulled Ian up by the collar. “I will never betray her” he growled. Ian couldn't deny just how much he was turned on by the depth of his voice.

“OK,” he replied quietly. “I didn't know.” Which was true. Nobody wore wedding rings on a regular basis here, as injuries and swollen hands were par for the course. Jethro's eyes softened and he released his bunkmate, sliding to the dirt again. Ian tentatively sat next to him and bumped his shoulder. “I won't say anything. But for what it’s worth...I enjoyed that. A lot.” Leroy chuckled quietly. “Yeah, me too,” he whispered. They sat that way for a while, until Leroy reached for his rifle, stood, and held out a hand to Ian. He felt a charge of energy as Ian took his hand, and when Ian looked up to meet his face, it wasn't Ian… It was...

“Tony?” Gibbs gasped as he sat up with a start. The adrenaline coursing through his body from reliving such a stressful time was definitely the reason for his breathlessness and rapid heart rate. Definitely. The fact that he didn't even have to shift to feel how hard he was, or that he was already leaking precum into his sweats was something he chose to ignore as he gathered his things and headed to the bathroom for a cold shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, I figure it may be better to post short ones every few days than to wait the week or so it may take me to finish a longer one. I'm planning my wedding too, so I'm a little busy ;)


	8. Anniversary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week later, Katherine is a little relieved Abby cancels on her

Nate was slumped in the passenger seat of Katherine's car, earbuds firmly in place, trying desperately to ignore his mom’s exaggerated ‘car-dancing’ to some 1970s or 80s music he barely recognized.  _ God she's such a dork. _ He thought. Thankfully, her phone rang, automatically shutting off the radio so she could use the car’s Bluetooth. The screen read “Abbs”...Katherine ignored the button on the steering wheel, waved her hand and said “ it's OK, it can go to voicemail.” Nate noticed the blush crossing his mother's face and quickly tapped the green ‘answer’ button on the dash.  _ Oh, if you're blushing over this one, I gotta hear it! _

Nate's plan backfired on him, however, when Abby’s loud music filled the car, and before Katherine could say anything, Abby practically yelled, “how's the sexist lawyer in DC doin’ today?” And then… She growled. Well, it was somewhere between a purr and a growl. She may have been trying to sound all sexy, but the combination of how silly it sounded, with the look of mortification on Nate’s face, Katherine almost had to pull over from laughing so hard. Good thing they had arrived, so she could do just that.

“Hey!” Abby pouted and stomped a foot, until she heard a groan over Katherine's laughter.  _ Oops _

“Abby, meet my son, Nate. Nate, this is Abby. Her voice anyway.”

“Uh, hi…” they both said, almost in unison. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Nate whispered “mom, can I get out now?”

“Sure, love you!” Katherine shouted to her son as he bounded up the steps to his school.  _ This is his last Friday. Four more days of classes next week, then another week until graduation. _ Katherine thought, as tears welled up in her eyes. Her baby was growing up so fast. She almost forgot that the sounds emanating from her speakers were not from her radio. 

“Sorry, Abs, had to drop Nate off at school, what's up?” It had been over a week since the lab incident, and they'd texted and talked a bit, and had a great time that weekend [playing board games...seriously? Who plays board games?  _ I do, apparently.] _ Abby had asked her out, maybe back to Phase [this time with her ‘real’ self], on Saturday. Part of her wanted to go, but she had accepted before realizing the date.

“So, I know we were totally supposed to go out tomorrow, but I just got a call from the sisters… They won a round in their tournament and really need me to help them. How do you feel about bowling? Well, more like watching, because I'm pretty sure the whole place will be taken up with the tournament. I mean, there's a bar and stuff too, but I don't want to be a boring date, but-”

“Abs” Katherine interrupted Abby’s insanely long explanation.  _ She needs to lay off the caffeine sometimes _ , she thought. It was far too early to have that much energy. “Abby, it's OK. Let's try sometime next week?”

“You got it!” And with that, Abby hung up. Katherine leaned her head onto her hands on the steering wheel and sighed.  _ At least I get to be home _ , she thought, as she felt her breath catch in her throat. It’d been long enough that she didn't usually get really upset, but she felt guilty that she actually almost forgot.

She jumped and clutched her hand to her chest as her phone rang again. It was Nate. “You ok?” She asked, as she answered the phone. “Yes, mother,” he laughed, “I just forgot my lunch in the back of the car, what with your  _ girlfriend _ flirting on the phone.” 

“Hey, I get to listen to all your conversations with Melanie, maybe it’s payback!” She heard him laughing. They were a family of sarcasm, but it was always out of love. Melanie was the newest girl who had attached herself to Nate. She didnt know how serious Nate ever got with these girls, but he hadn’t stuck with any of them for very long.  _ Hopefully not following my lead _ , she thought. “Whatever mom, can you just come back so I don't have to starve today?”

“Never left, come on out.” Katherine waited in front of the school until she saw Nate jogging toward her. He hopped into the front seat, reached behind them to find his lunch, and went to leave. But he turned around at the last minute and gave her a hug. “Love you” he said, then let go and bounded out the door. 

She had vowed, 10 years ago, to make the weekend closest to the anniversary of her husband’s death all about family. Sometimes spending it with his family, sometimes her own, but lately it had been just her and Nate. Maybe the fates had aligned to give her a second chance to keep her promise. She liked Abby, but she wasn't family. Maybe if they were serious and stayed together, next year could be different. Katherine closed her eyes and took a breath...but maybe this year they wouldn't be alone either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, no Tibbs this chapter.


	9. Dinner invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awkwardness in the bullpen, and Gibbs gets a text message.

This week had been...odd. McGee was incredibly uncomfortable, and he couldn't figure out why. Of course, there was the whole “Abby’s dating Gibbs’s sister-in-law” thing, which Abby had disclosed just a few days before, which irritated him because how come  _ HE _ never got ‘hinky’ in her lab? But whatever, he’s over that. No, Gibbs was just being...odd. And Tony too, but in the opposite way. Tony’s jokes and laughter had a bit of...something...maybe smugness? He wasn't sure, he was never very good at reading Tony. Tony was an expert at deflection, and smugness wasn't quite right, but it was close. He gave more half-smirks than usual, and was swaggering a bit more. It was like he’d had some epiphany and wanted everyone to know, but wouldnt tell anyone. McGee was starting to get snippy about it. Not because it seemed like maybe Tony was genuinely happy instead of pretending, but because he just wouldn't share!

Gibbs, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as intimidating as usual. Sure, he’d bark at them for goofing off or whatever, but he seemed to have lost a little of his bite. He was still doing the same job, still staying later than everyone, still acting exactly the same to everyone who didn't really know him, but something was different. He also had stopped giving Tony headslaps. That was a sure sign something was wrong, so McGee vowed to talk to Ducky. If something was going on with his boss, Ducky would know.

With that decision, he heard a phone chirp. Gibbs looked at each member of his team as they checked their phones...no dice. They all looked around the bullpen, but nobody else was in their direct proximity, as the chirp came again. It was tinny and didn't sound like a smartphone, and McGee realized…”Boss, is it yours?”

“Not my ring, McGee.” Gibbs responded as he pulled his phone out anyway.

_ 2 New Text Messages  _ the tiny screen on top of the flip phone read. “Oh what the hell,” Gibbs grumbled as he flipped the phone open and started pressing buttons. McGee watched him closely.  _ Wait for it…  _ Gibbs grew increasingly agitated, pulling out his reading glasses and perching them on his nose.  _ Wait for it… _

A small beep eminated from the phone, a reminder tone, if McGee was correct. “This damn phone...McGee!”  _ Yup. _

“Yes Boss?” McGee said as he stood and went to take the phone from Gibbs’s outstretched hand. As he turned the corner from his desk, he couldn't help but notice Tony’s expression. He was staring at Gibbs. McGee took the phone as Gibbs dropped his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. 

“Boss, you've got 2 text messages from a ‘Katie’...she’s asking you to dinner. Here, they're open,” McGee told him as he handed the open phone back to its owner. And did Tony just sneer? Sneering is pretty much Gibbs’s territory. When McGee glanced back to his senior field agent, he still hadnt stopped watching their boss, now with narrowed eyes. And this time, Gibbs had noticed. McGee sat down away from the line of fire, expecting daggers from Gibbs, but none came. Gibbs had dropped his eyes, and Tony was smiling. McGee couldn't even...what the…

_ Katie: Hey Jethro, if you're not busy, would you like to come over for dinner on Saturday? As family. I'd like you to meet your nephew, and he would really like to meet you. _

_ Katie: Sorry, I’d call but I'm in court, just didn't want to forget. _

Gibbs sighed as he removed his glasses again. It’d been over a week, so another conversation wasn't unexpected, but he wasn't one for cordiality. And why the hell do people have to keep texting him like some infernal teenager?! And what the hell is DiNozzo staring at? Gibbs tried to use his normal glaring technique to visually threaten his SFA back to his own business, but it didn't work. Instead of dropping his gaze and hurrying to hide the fact that he was staring, Tony smiled at him. He smiled. And oh, what that smile did to his nerves, he wouldn't admit to anyone, including himself, and it was he who dropped his gaze. 

Tony grinned even wider. He could tell Gibbs was unnerved. HE, Anthony DiNozzo Jr., ladies man and very special eligible bachelor, was flirting with his boss, and it was WORKING.  _ Shit, why didn't I try this years ago? _ He asked himself. Then he felt immediately guilty for the thought. He’d been letting his attraction control him, and probably just taking advantage of the openness Gibbs had shown him. He wanted, so badly, to tell Gibbs how he felt, how he’d felt for years, but he knew he had to let Gibbs come to him. As far as Tony knew, Gibbs hadn't ever been with a man, and he wasn't even totally sure Gibbs would be open to being with him. Sure, he was reacting to the ‘DiNozzo charm,” but it didn't necessarily mean he was willing to go anywhere with it. He needed to stop the flirting. It was fun for a while, but Gibbs needed a friend, not a suitor. 

He wasn't above watching him storm off, though. He wouldn't ever tire of that view. Suddenly, Gibbs stopped, backed up a few steps, and leaned over Tony’s desk. Leaning close so the others couldn't hear, Gibbs growled, “stop staring at my ass DiNozzo” and gave him a head slap. This time, Tony was the rattled one. “Yes Boss,” he called, as Gibbs got into the elevator and smirked. 

``````

Gibbs arrived in autopsy and almost ran into Jimmy. He rolled his eyes as the young M.E. stumbled over his words “oh, jeez, uh..,agent Gibbs… I didn't see you...I mean, I saw you, obviously, cuz you're right here, but”

“Is Ducky here, Palmer?”

“Yes sir,” Jimmy responded, grateful to be spared any more of the Gibbs stare. Not as bad as the Gibbs glare, but it still made Jimmy nervous and his palms sweaty. He slid past Gibbs on his way to Abby’s lab and Gibbs heard his old friend call his name.

“Ah Jethro, haven't seen you down here in a few days, how are you my boy?”

“Alright, Duck. Just…” Gibbs paused.

“That pause seems to be more than a dramatic effect, may I inquire as to your current internal dilemma?”

“ ‘S why I'm here, Duck,” Gibbs admitted. “I want to get to know her...she’s family. But I can't stop seein’ my girls in her. And DiNozzo’s getting on my last nerve, which isn't helping.” He honestly wasn't sure which was bothering him more... The memories of his girls, or how he was reacting to Tony's attitude since their talk in his basement.

“Well, young Anthony does have a flair for dramatics, and I do believe he is trying to help, but he’ll listen if you tell him to back off, you know that Jethro.” Gibbs nodded and also rolled his eyes in irritation.  _ Great, more ‘talking’.  _ He’d talked more about his  _ feelings _ in the past two weeks than he had in probably 20 years. The thought made him shudder.

“As to the other, I presume you are speaking of your sister-in-law, Miss Fielding?” Ducky took Gibbs’s non-answer as an affirmative. “Jethro, I cannot tell you want to do, but it may be that the only way to get to know her is to just interact more. Painful though it may be, you will likely come to see her for the person she is, instead of a representation of the people you've lost.”

“Thanks Duck,” Gibbs nodded and roughly pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Now how the hell do I respond to a text message?” Ducky laughed and took his phone.


	10. Basement, take 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony comes to the basement again, he had to address that comment in the bullpen.

Gibbs looked at the clock as he heard his front door swing open. “Boss? Ya home?” Tony must be in a good mood, Gibbs could hear the humming already. 

“Yup,” he called, and resumed his work of putting the hull together. In a moment of dejavu, Gibbs heard the door to his fridge open, but this time heard Tony say “score! Pizza!” Gibbs smiled and sighed. DiNozzo had been through hell lately, and he put up a lot of masks to keep people from seeing who he really was. One of those masks was the childish jokester, the overgrown frat boy. But when it came to pizza, Gibbs was pretty sure that wasn't a mask. The man always loved his pizza.

“That'll be $2.25 Tony,” Gibbs said as Tony came down the stairs, a slice of pizza in his mouth. 

“O come on Bawth!” Tony slurred, his mouth full of a huge bite of pizza. He swallowed and continued, “I haven't eaten in like 8 hours, I'm STARVING.” And then Gibbs couldn't hide his chuckle as he looked at the younger man and saw him fluttering his eyelashes dramatically. Gibbs didn't let Tony see how endearing he thought that was. Not the dramatic fluttering eyes, that was just ridiculous, but the goofiness and the genuine smile that beamed across the dark basement.

“Fine, but you owe me, Tony.” Gibbs deliberately used his first name again. It felt good to be able to be more casual with Tony. 

“Oh, how could I ever repay you, _Jethro_?” 

“Coffee in the morning,” Gibbs replied, before remembering it was Friday. “Or Monday,” he quickly corrected.

Tony grinned, started to say something snarky (Gibbs could see the look in his eye), then thought better of it.

Gibbs sighed “oh, come on Tony, out with it...I walked into that one.” Instead, Tony looked bit his lip a little and replied, “nah, Boss, I've been taking too many liberties lately.”

Gibbs laughed “only because I let you. Which stops now.” The glare he sends across the basement isn't full of ice, as his statement would imply, but it was downright jovial.

“Listen, Jethro, about today--”

Gibbs holds up a hand to stop him and shook his head. “Hey, I had to wipe that smartass grin off your face. I know you weren't staring at my ass, DiNozzo.” He laughed, remembering the look of dismay on Tony’s face that morning, expecting Tony to laugh with him. But he didn't. Gibbs felt his stomach tighten.  _ Shit, what did I do now? This is what I get for talking. _

Tony didn't laugh. He kept looking at Gibbs, obviously thinking about something. Gibbs couldn't help but chuckle to himself,  _ this is what my ex-wives had to deal with,  _ as he watched Tony’s eyes flicker slightly, watched him twitch his mouth just a little, watched him lick his lips. That made him turn away.  _ Why does Tony have to have such amazing lips? _ He thought, as he felt a fluttering in his chest and pictured what else those lips could do…

Then he heard Tony take a deep breath. He was a seasoned investigator, he knew the signs of a decision being made. What had Tony decided? “Except I was.”

“You were, what, DiNozzo?” Gibbs slipped into his gruff attitude he used at work.

Tony licked his lips again.  _ Goddamnit. _ And he made sure Gibbs was looking him in the eye when he said, “I _was_ looking at your ass, Jethro. And I was going to say, that I shouldn't have taken advantage of what you're going through to my own benefit. I was selfish.” Gibbs didn't break the eye contact, but his breathing sped up, and he felt his ears start to flush. Like that first time in the field with Ian, he froze. How to play this? This time he had the advantage of NOT being pressed against the other man, and for once he was grateful for the effect the years had had on the speed of his arousal. 

_ Is this a joke? _ No, that much was evident. Tony wasn't laughing, he wasn't smirking, he wasn't just trying to have the last laugh at making the great Gibbs blush.

_ Could it work?  _ No. No. First, rule 12. Second, he valued their friendship too much to ruin it. He'd decided several years ago that it was better for the people around him if he stayed single. Grumpy, but single.

Surprising even himself, DiNozzo hadn't backed down. He hadn't downplayed his statement the second Gibbs looked a little taken aback. _Stand up, DiNozzo,_ he thought. _This isn't a joke, and you shouldn't be ashamed._ It took all of his resolve to keep his panic hidden, and it was harder the longer Gibbs stood there in front of him, just blinking. His nerves were screaming _Mayday! Mayday!_ _Run!_ But he held his ground. 

“I'm flattered.” 

Tony didn't move. That response was too vague, and he wasn't going to let Gibbs get away with leaving this hanging over them. So he waited, catching Gibbs’s eyes.

Gibbs sighed, closed his eyes, and rubbed his face with his hand. “I am, Tony. But I don't…” he paused. How should he finish that?  _ Like men?  _ Well, that's a lie, just hadn't happened often.  _ Date men?  _ That one's historically true, he'd never actually dated a man, but that didn't put it out of the realm of possibility… “damnit,” he said as he took a step toward Tony. “Rule 12.”

“Rule 51.” Tony countered and stepped even closer, into Gibbs's personal space. At this distance, Gibbs couldn't hide his body's reaction, although thankfully his panic kept his blood flow North of his waistband. Tony didn't go further, though. He knew, from experience with others, he could have taken Jethro’s face in his hands and kissed him, and would have met no resistance. Jethro was very close to putty in his hands. But with those men, it was about his own needs. The man in front of him meant so much more. It had to be his choice.

After a long silence, Gibbs closed his eyes again, and put a hand on Tony's arm. Not his shoulder, like a friendly “bro” touch, not his hand, but in between. Tony's skin trembled at the feeling, but he remained still.

“I can't,” Gibbs began, as his thumb made slow circles on Tony's skin. “I trust you with my life, and I'm not going to fuck that up.” Gibbs dropped his hand and stepped back.

“I'll always have your six, Boss, no matter what. You know that, right?”

Gibbs felt anger and guilt rise in him. “And when I hurt you, or push you away? Or when I let my feelings get the better of me and I put you in danger? Or when someone finds out--”

Gibbs stopped as his breath catches in his throat.

“Would you be ashamed?” Tony asked, quietly.

“No! Goddamnit, when I care about people, they get killed!” Gibbs yelled.  _ Shannon. Kelly. Kate. Diane. Jenny. _

“I'm not going anywhere, Jethro,” Tony said, with a confidence Gibbs wasn't expecting. It was a promise.

Gibbs felt like he wasn't in control of his body as he strode right up to DiNozzo and surprised him with a kiss so strong and passionate that no one would ever guess he was having doubts. Tony's hands wrapped around Gibbs's back and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss, until Gibbs pushed him back, leaving both of them breathless.

“Shit, Tony, I'm sorry.” Gibbs was panicking now, breaking one of his top 10 rules.

“Why? Obviously I was a willing participant.” Tony's eyes were still showing his strong desire to continue that kiss.

“Because… I can't. You're young, you deserve better than a broken old bastard with a bum knee who's gone through 4 wives, 3 divorces, and who hasn't gotten over his first wife in 20 years. I'll hurt you, or get you hurt in the field, or kill your career by keeping you out of the field to protect you.”

Tony felt like his heart was breaking at the admission. Not because Jethro was rejecting him, but because he actually believed these things.

“I've dealt with this bastard for 15 years now, I think I can handle myself,” Tony started.

“I said no, DiNozzo.” Gibbs growled. Tony knew the conversation was over, for now. But, despite the anger in Gibbs's voice, his eyes showed sorrow. 

“Got it, Boss.” Gibbs expected him to leave, but instead, he backed up and sat on the steps. 

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“Watching my friend build a boat, what's it look like?” And Tony smiled. “Not going anywhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gibbs rules, in case you don't have them all memorized ;)
> 
> https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/4c/c2/00/4cc20060e57eb1bc8abfb4bab34dbf8d.jpg


	11. Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family dinner

The doorbell rang and before Katherine could turn around, she heard her son stampeding to the door. “I got it ma!” Nate shouted. He had gotten so excited yesterday when she told him Uncle Jethro was coming to dinner. 

Maybe excited was an exaggeration, at first. Sunday was the anniversary of his dad’s death, and he’d gotten used to spending the whole weekend with his mom. So when she told him that she’d invited his Aunt’s husband, who he’d never met, to dinner, he pouted. He wouldn't talk to her until she stood in his doorway, staring at him. “Gawd, Mom, WHAT?!” He yelled, finally acknowledging her presence. She had gone into his room, sat on his bed, and listened to him vent about why he was mad. In the end, it wasn't that he was mad. He was scared. This was the last year he was home, and he wanted more time with her. She’d cried at that, because it was on her mind too, but dinner was about family, and his father would want him knowing his famils. Nate had asked, then, to hear more about his aunt, uncle, and cousin he had never had the chance to meet. By the time morning came, he was idolizing the man.

“Hi, you must be Uncle Jethro, you look mostly like the pictures mom showed me,” Nate said as he opened the door and extended his hand. Gibbs chuckled and shook his hand. “And you must be Nate. Nice to meet you.”

Nate stood in the door until Katherine laughed and shouted “Nate, let him in for goodness sake!”

He backed up as Gibbs entered the apartment, fresh [bought] Italian bread in his hands. He went to the kitchen and placed it on the counter. “You didn't say what was for dinner, and I didn't think bourbon would be appropriate.” She laughed, “this is perfect. Family tradition, I'm making lasagna. It was David’s favorite.” Gibbs stared at the admission. 

“Yeah, except he used to yell at mom cuz she adds sausage,” Nate chimed in as he grabbed the bread off the counter and a knife. Katherine smacked his hand. “You can wait 15 more minutes.”

Gibbs wasn't used to speaking so casually about loved ones who...were gone. He swallowed, and Katherine noticed the expression on his face. “Nate, hon, can you take some cash from my wallet and grab some ice for the tea please?” 

“Ugggh, do I HAVE to?” 

“Yup.”

“Fine. Be back in a minute.”

As the door closed behind him, Katherine turned to Gibbs. “What's wrong?” He tensed his lips and shrugged.  _ Can't put your foot in your mouth if you don't open it. _

“Jethro, come on. Is it because I mentioned David?”

His sigh told her what she needed to know. She handed him silverware and napkins and waved toward the table. As they set the places, she started talking.

“I couldn't talk about him, for a long time. But I forced myself to do it. At first, just to help Nate remember what he could of his dad. Then it helped me because I was remembering the good stuff, you know? And eventually, sometimes I could talk about the good stuff without it hurting as much. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.”

She looked at Gibbs for some kind of response. When she raised an eyebrow at him, he knew she’d probably just keep staring at him until he said something, and damn if that lasagna didn't smell good.

“Just never got that far.”

“There’s still some stuff I don't talk about too. Too hard. But David’s life? Our life together, the three of us? The happiness we had? That’s something to celebrate.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “You should too. You deserve happy.”

And just like the rowdy teenager he was, Nate barged in during that touching moment. “Got it!”

``````

An hour later and all 3 of them were stuffed full of lasagna, and Katherine had enough leftovers to send Gibbs home with 2 large helpings, which were sitting in the fridge for now. Nate had dragged Uncle Jethro into his room to show him his soccer trophies, and they talked about the Marines. About how David was a Marine, and how Nate wanted to join, but his mom was ‘making’ him go to college first.

“That's a good idea, though,” Gibbs told him. “I signed up at 18, and I had it rough. Some of the older guys, the 20, 21 year olds, they had an easier time of it. Advanced faster, higher marks, all of it.”

“I guess,” Nate conceded. “I just don't want her babying me, you know?”

Katherine paused by the doorway as she heard that remark. She leaned against the wall to hear the answer.

“Hey, man, she’s not babying you. She’s lookin out for you. Big difference. You deserve every chance to grow up to be what you want, and 2 or 4 years of college isn't gonna change that, it’s gonna make your choice stronger. You'll be a better Marine, or a better doctor, or a better pro soccer player. She loves ya, kid.”

Katherine slipped back to the kitchen, tears in her eyes. In moments like these, she really felt the ache in her heart for her husband. The times when Nate needed more than her opinion. He was a great kid, and she knew he trusted her, but sometimes having his father there to reinforce something, or explain it differently, would have helped them both more than he would have ever known. She slung the towel over her shoulder and went to get started on the dishes while her son and brother-in-law talked, but quickly heard Gibbs clear his throat.

“Jesus!” She yelped. “Stop slinking!” She yelled as she pulled the towel off her shoulder and snapped it at him. He chuckled, “come on, I wasn't even trying.” If he noticed the tears in her eyes [which, of course he did], he didn't say anything.

“Coffee?” She asked.

“What kind?” 

“Marine special,” she responded. “Made mine first… The normal way. Yours is brewing.”

“Brown water isn't coffee, especially when you taint it with sugar or that hazelnut crap.”

“I prefer French vanilla myself, and now you sound like David.” She smiled and handed Gibbs a cup. He stood by the counter and waited for the coffee maker to finish its drip.

“He’s a great kid. I'm sure his dad is really proud.” Gibbs told her.

“Thanks. Although he talks about as much as I do...which may get him in trouble if he does join the Marines.”

“Well, Navy has lawyers too.”

“Not sure he wants to follow in my footsteps, Jethro,” Katherine said, as she headed toward the living room. This time, taking the single chair for herself. Gibbs finished pouring his coffee and followed, sitting on the couch.

“I didn't get to be here as much as I liked. Too many long hours reviewing case files, and even then sometimes bringing work home with me.” She sighed as she surveyed the mantel, a small smile on her lips. “It’s gotten better these last few years, but I still feel like it's not enough, you know?” She looked at Gibbs.

He nodded. “Never feels like enough.”

“He likes you. He isn't very outgoing, and as much as he likes to talk, it's not often with someone he just met.” Katherine tilted her head toward the teenager’s bedroom. “His graduation is in 2 weeks, would you come? There’s a small party after, maybe you could meet some of David’s family too.”

Gibbs smiled. “I’d like that.”  _ The graduation, not the party, _ he thought, but he figured he’d just save some paperwork if there wasn't anything else to pull him away.

With that, Nate came out of his room, with a rectangular box. “Who wants to play...socceropoly?” The two adults stared at him blankly, and he sighed. “Ok, it’s like regular monopoly, except…” Gibbs stopped listening and just observed this young man, Shannon’s nephew, his nephew, setting up a probably-mind-numbing board game. It was much later than he expected to stay already, but he actually  _ wanted _ to stay. Katherine was laughing as Nate accidentally dropped the pieces on the ground and then she fell over trying to help him pick them up.

Maybe Katherine was right...he needed to force himself to remember the good times, even though it still hurt like hell. And seeing this little family giggling like idiots around him, made him smile as he remembered teaching Kelly how to play Pictionary Jr. There was almost as much giggling, and he ended up with pictures drawn on his hands and cheek, because she insisted those were the rules. Who was he to contradict? It washed off anyway. 4 days later.

It was good to be around family again. It would take some getting used to, and he wasn't totally comfortable with it, but it felt good, and that was a step in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started this fic fully intending to focus more on Abby...I've digressed and made it totally gibbs-centric! My original plot was for a fairly even split between the two, but I find it harder to write Abby. Gotta work on that for the next chapter.


	12. Scheduling a date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katherine and Abby plan another date, and Katherine's job is stressing her out

Sunday had passed without event, although Katherine had had to deal with some cranky voicemails from her paralegal, and 4 worried ones from Abby, because she had shut off her phone.

Abby, she could forgive—she hadn’t told her about the significance of the day, or the fact that she and her son had stayed in bed most of the afternoon watching John Wayne films, David’s favorites. Considering her education and feminist ideals, “The Quiet Man” rubbed her the wrong way sometimes, especially Wayne dragging O’Hara across the hills, but it was well acted, and she fondly remembered debating with David over and over again about how it wasn’t wrong to like the movie, as it depicted attitudes and situations that were fairly accurate for the time. Plus, they were both from Irish families, and both thought Maureen O’Hara was pretty stunning, and at least she wasn’t playing some fainting flower submissively swooning for the tall and ruggedly handsome Sean Thornton.

Her paralegal, however, had worked with her for 4 years now, since she had moved up the ranks at TFP. He knew why she wasn’t answering, yet he still kept leaving exasperated messages. She would make sure to call him into a “conference” today. The anger she felt was irrational, she knew, as she gritted her teeth and practically snarled at him through the phone to clear their calendars for 11am to “talk.” Usually she wasn’t this touchy, at least not in years, but a lot had changed and was changing, and the stress was doing a number on her emotions.

After talking to (ok, _snarling at_ ) Victor, she dialed Abby’s number. Immediately the young woman’s voice filled her ear—louder than necessary, but not unexpected.

“Ohmigod, are you ok? I know it sounds stupid and clingy and weird, but when you didn’t answer your phone the third time, I tried to do a location and it was off, and first I thought you were mad at me, but then I tried again and you still weren’t there and I thought someone hurt you, I mean, you’re an important lawyer, so people know you, and it’d be crazy, but it could happen, and I called Gibbs and he told me to let you be, that you were ok, but I didn’t really believe him, but I kinda had to, cuz he wouldn’t lie to me…”

Katherine let her continue until her breath ran out, then in the pause, she replied “Abby, I’m OK. I turned off my phone. Sunday was my day with Nate, I should have told you, I’m sorry.” She heard the sigh of relief on the other end. “So, it’s nothing to do with bowling?”

“Nothing to do with bowling.”

“OK. Wanna go out on Thursday? I got tickets to this awesome concert,” Katherine winced…some of Abby’s music tastes were a bit…questionable…and the thought of a mosh pit and screaming death metal made her stomach turn just a little. But she took a breath, “tickets for what?”

“Well, I figured we could start small. A friend of mine is in this band, they’re really good, and it’s a coffee shop type thing—no mosh pits.” Katherine laughed, “Yeah, I can’t imagine myself in a mosh pit, dear.” She froze. The endearment was nothing new to her, and rolled off the tongue easily, even with friends, but she couldn’t remember if she’d called Abby anything like that before. They’d only really gone on a handful of dates, talked on the phone, gone to bed a few times. Abby didn’t seem like someone who’d be scared off by a little “fluff”, but she had thought that before, with others, and been quite wrong.

Then she heard the giggle. Not the hearty laugh of someone envisioning her being tossed around, in her pantsuit and hair in a tight French twist, in a mosh pit with children half her age. The giggle of someone obviously blushing on the other end of the line. “That’s kinda why I picked a coffee shop… _dear_.” And with that, they both started laughing. Until Katherine felt a hard poke on her arm. She looked up and saw Nate, rolling his eyes toward the door and sighing.

“So, _dear_ ,” she emphasized the word, ”I gotta go or we’re gonna be late for school, dad’s rolling his eyes at me” mimicking a teenager as her son got more exasperated and stomped out the door. She grabbed her briefcase and followed behind, ending the call with Abby and throwing an arm around Nate’s shoulder. _When did he get so much taller than me_? She thought. _Just a few more days of classes, then tests, then…Graduation_. Her eyes watered at how proud she was of her son, and how proud David would have been.

“God, you’re weird,” he told her, but he was smiling.

“And it’s genetic,” she replied, pulling him against her and squeezing him one last time before they jogged down the stairs.

*****  
The days flew by, Katherine absorbed in a case, barely having time to spend an hour or two with Nate in the evening, much less see Abby before their date on Thursday. While she loved her job, sometimes its whirlwind nature and the guilt she felt when she came home to find her son already in bed were overwhelming. Wednesday was one such day, and she came home to an unusually clean kitchen _Wait, Nate cleaned up his dinner stuff_? Yup, silverware in the drainer, pizza in the fridge, paper plate in the trash, paper towels and cleaner shifted in position to indicate he even wiped the counter. While she was impressed and appreciated the maturity he was showing, she couldn’t help the tears that rose within her. This case was taking a lot out of her. She had even lost a few pounds from not eating regularly, and the pizza barely looked appetizing. She knew she had too much to do tomorrow to stand a hangover—which was a likelihood if she pulled out the rum she so badly wanted—so she made herself a smoothie. It was better for her mood and her stomach than pizza, and she made sure to add extra protein powder to increase the calories.

Nate loved that she helped people. He understood. He’d told her this several times, but on occasion her guilt of leaving him to his own devices, even at almost 18 years old, couldn’t be suppressed by his assurances. She finished the smoothie, rinsed the dishes, and went to her shower. Once the water was the right temperature and she stepped into its heavy stream, she let the tears come. Nate’s childhood spent in the care of nannies and family instead of in her arms, the fact that she had run out of time to make up for it, and the fact that she was here, alone, as she had been in every one of these moments for the past 11 years. Even the man she’d been engaged to for a short time had never seen her break down like this. She wouldn’t let him. And this time she couldn’t stop until the water ran cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Quiet Man was one of my dad's favorites, I had to throw it in there lol


	13. In the office

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little chapter about how things are going at work

Gibbs was decidedly less grumpy, which wasn’t saying much based on his mood the previous month or so, but Bishop wasn’t complaining. She’d stopped sitting on the floor, much to the comfort of the other agents in the room, and her confidence to try and “outdo” the more experienced agents was returning. It was all a friendly level of competition again, one that helped them achieve a greater close rate than almost any other NCIS team—a rate only occasionally, and briefly, surpassed. Gibbs was actually in a good mood sometimes. That was pretty rare before his recent mood-bender, and nonexistent in the previous month, but it was comforting to see. His head slaps were softer, though not by much, and more judiciously applied. She had noticed a new photo on his wall, rearranging the ones of people he had helped to hang it in a place he could easily see, and she had seen him looking at the photo several times since it appeared. One of a much younger Gibbs, his wife (she assumed), a teenager, and a little girl. They all looked happy.

Bishop also notice a change in Tony. He still goofed off, still pranked poor Tim, still flirted with female witnesses, but something was different. She could tell Tim noticed—he was calmer around Tony, and more genuine. He took the pranks with a sarcastic laugh, without the embarrassment or hurt behind it that had sometimes showed before. Tony’s laughter was softer, less forced, and his flirting was almost…innocent. She was pretty sure he was with someone, but the usual evidence of hidden texts and sudden phone calls and blushing and defensiveness was not present. He never wavered in his dedication to the job, or their boss, though. Not that she ever thought he would, but lesser people have been known to pay less attention to their duties in the wake of new love.

Anyone who wasn’t so skilled at deduction would never have guessed that the two changes were related. But Bishop was a watcher. She watched, and made connections most people wouldn’t. Sure, Gibbs was maybe opening up about his family—everyone knew about his sister-in-law now, and a select few knew she was the woman who was dating Abby—but Tony? Tony was supporting him, and from the look in his eyes sometimes, she saw flashes of more. They weren’t together…yet. Bishop made a silent wager of 4 months. No, 5. OK, between 4 and 5 months before they were official.

“What’s going on?” she heard Tim ask, as he noticed she was grinning about something. She dropped the smile, “Nothing!” _Yet_.

*****

Gibbs slipped into the lab like his normal, quiet self, and he could practically see the excitement buzzing from his forensic scientist. “Hey Abs,” he said, quietly, and she spun around, jumping back and… _did she just yip?_

“GibbsGibbsGibbs!” she exclaimed, “What’s up?” Her face immediately fell, her hand reaching for her phone and the envelope underneath, “do we have a case?”

“Nope, just wanted to say have fun, and go home a little early.” Abby blinked several times. Gibbs…letting someone go home early…she looked at the clock and saw it was 7 minutes early. _OK, so ‘on time’ means early to Gibbs_ she thought. _But wait…how did he know…_

“Go.”

He always knew. She grinned like a fool, grabbed her phone, the tickets, and the rest of her things and let him pull her into a kiss on her temple before she flew out the door.

She was glad things weren’t totally weird anymore. Cuz they really were weird for a while. Plus, he had put a reprimand in her file for inappropriate behavior in the workplace, and when she whined about it, he threatened to up it to sexual harassment! She was really upset at that, but the nuns admonished her too, so she took her licks. _In more ways than one…_ oh, she was bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I edited the tags...I tend to write stream of consciousness, and Abby and Katherine's date took me somewhere I hadn't thought to go before. It will be a little NSFW, ;)


	14. The concert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby and Katherine go on a real date

Katherine pulled up to the door to see Abby already waiting outside, hopping from foot to foot. It wasn’t cold, by any stretch of the imagination, even in the smaller-than-usual outfit Abby was wearing, so she was guessing it was excitement. “Hop in.”

Abby leaned toward the car, then did a double take at the woman in the driver’s seat. Katherine had gone home early and dug deep in her closet, pulling out clothes that she hoped would help her fit in at least a little bit. Abby had never seen her dress so…sexy. She’d seen the power suits, of course, and seen those suits on the floor. She’d seen her in painting garb as the two went together to a Habitat for Humanity house. She’d seen her relaxed in yoga pants and a soft shirt. But tonight? Abby’s mouth hung open as she stood, the door half open.

“Oh, for goodness sake, get IN,” Katherine laughed. These jeans were seldom worn, but she knew the effect they had—and it would be even worse for Abby when Katherine got out and their full effect on her ass was revealed. These jeans had cost a pretty penny, but were worth it for how they hugged her curves in exactly the right way. They were practically a weapon, and not one she used lightly. The shirt was low cut and tight, but not overly revealing, and had just enough fading to be seen as “hip” (when really it was just a shirt she had purchased in college almost 20 years ago and it had shrunk). Her hair was down, flowing across her shoulders, and her makeup was less “professional,” and hopefully more “youthful” than she usually wore.

“Wow,” Abby said as she sat in the passenger seat. Katherine laughed, “yeah, not my usual type of date, so I had to dig a little to find something more appropriate. How’d I do?”

She felt Abby’s hand touching the tight fabric of the jeans, stroking her thigh. “Wow.” She was grinning ear to ear. As Katherine pulled out and drove toward the concert, her hand stayed on Katherine’s leg, running her fingers along the seams, making Katherine shiver as they traced her inner thigh, several times stopping just short of what Katherine had thought was going to be their destination.

“Tease.” She gave Abby her court-practiced side eye.

“You’re wearing THOSE, and you’re calling me a tease?” Abby laughed. Then, through the open windows, they heard the sounds of screaming and a crowd of people. “I thought you said a small coffee shop, Abby”, Katherine squinted her eyes at the younger woman.

“Well, it’s smallER…and they have coffee…” Abby tipped her head, and with a grin, she let her hand travel where she’d been aiming the whole ride, distracting Katherine from her mild irritation at how she’d stretched the truth.

“No fair.” Katherine swallowed, as she tried to park the car in the garage with Abby’s hand between her legs. It was difficult, but she wasn’t about to tell her to stop. Until it was definitely time to exit the vehicle. She pulled Abby into a kiss, and this time it was Abby’s turn to squirm a little in her grip.

“Come on, your friends are waiting. Let’s show them what this cougar is made of.” Abby jumped out of the car giggling. ‘cougar’ was not exactly accurate—their ages weren’t ALL that different, Abby wasn’t some fresh-faced teenager, she just enjoyed playing the part. “ _What’s the point of growing up if you can’t be childish sometimes_ ” was one of her favorite quotes of all time. But most of the time, seeing the two of them together, people assumed Katherine was some kind of sugar-mama, a powerful woman taking on a much younger, probably much poorer, lover. Katherine loved to laugh at them. She made more than Abby, but their salaries weren’t drastically different, much like their ages. They were just very different people, and it was fun. Katherine brought a little maturity and stability to Abby that she hadn’t had since Bert. Abby brought Katherine out of her shell and forced her to have fun in ways she never thought she would.

Inside the “coffee house” (honestly, it was a club…that had coffee), Katherine was pleased to find a band that didn’t offend her ears. It was different from anything she would normally choose to listen to, but the beat was good, and after a while her inhibitions slipped away as Abby pulled her to the dance floor. They hadn’t danced together before—not like this—and Katherine was a little apprehensive. She remembered scenes like this from college, but hadn’t done anything similar since then. Thankfully, Abby had it all under control, and she pulled Katherine close to her, shifting their hips so they each had a thigh between the other’s legs. Abby’s usual carefree attitude and easy grins and fast paced movements slowed and turned darker, even smoldering. Katherine gasped as she felt a hand firmly appreciating the fine lines of her designer jeans across her ass. She smirked as she felt Abby looking for a panty line, turning it into a full smile when the hand pulled her tighter to the thigh grinding into her as Abby realized there was none. Katherine may be new to this particular scene, but she certainly wasn’t new to seducing someone. At this rate, she didn’t think they were going to make it through the whole concert.

The song ended with a raucous round of applause, whoops, and cheers. Abby pulled Katherine into a kiss and began swaying with her as the next song began, but Katherine had to admit defeat, at least for a moment. “Hey, I need a break,” she croaked, “and probably water.” Abby nodded, backed up, took her hand and started bouncing toward the bar. How that girl not only kept that kind of energy, but also switched from dark and sensual to bouncy and innocent was beyond her. She plopped onto a stool and ordered a drink, glancing at Katherine. “No, just water, I’m a little dizzy from all the…dancing” and she winked at Abby. Abby made her head spin, of that she was sure. But she really was dizzy. She was getting old, feeling like 11pm was too late to be out.

By 12, the pair had danced several times, and Katherine’s thighs were on fire. Not in a good way, more like “I just did way too many squats at the gym.” But she kept going, she kept feeling how much Abby wanted her, and how much she wanted Abby. Not just to be in bed together, although that was certainly on both their minds, but just to be together and as close as possible. Whatever it was that drew them together was about more than sex.

Nate was home tonight, so going back to Katherine’s was not a good idea—Abby wasn’t exactly discreet in the throes of passion—so they slipped away around 12:15 and drove back to Abby’s. “Again, NOT in the coffin. I draw the line.” Katherine said, as Abby slid her hand under her shirt, needing to touch her skin but not wanting to distract her driving too much.

“Aww, come on, it’s cozy,” Abby pouted.

“Nope, it’s creepy. Sleep where you want, but I can’t…” she paused as Abby’s hand slid across her stomach, fingers dipping under the waistband of her pants. “you can’t bribe me into that one.”

“Fine, my couch is a pullout, is that _normal_ enough for you?” Abby’s sarcasm had a hint of irritation, but it quickly subsided when Katherine put her hand on top of Abby’s, and through the shirt, rubbed her fingers. “Yes,” she replied a little quieter. Abby had suspected the earlier joking about creepy coffins had been a little artificial, but she had pushed anyway. Now she felt bad that she may have hurt her lover.

“OK then, couch it is.” Abby pulled her hand from under Katherine’s shirt, and pulled her arm until she could comfortably lace their fingers together.

When they arrived at Abby’s, Katherine reached into the back seat to grab her bag. She’d packed a few things, just in case she would be spending the night.

As the front door closed behind her, Katherine saw Abby already struggling with the somewhat ancient couch. The frame was squeaky and needed some WD-40 if it was going to close properly the next day (which Katherine made a mental note to fix for her), but the mattress seemed somewhat new. Katherine approached Abby from behind and wrapped one arm around the woman as she bent over the couch, the other hand cupping her ass and fingering the hem of the pleated skirt she had worn tonight.

“Are you gonna help, or are we gonna do this on the floor?” Abby said as she looked up and over her shoulder, wiggling her ass provocatively. This was not an admonishment, but a real question. Abby didn’t mind a few rug burns, as she had told Katherine previously. “I just want to touch you first, then I’ll help,” came the reply as Abby straightened into Katherine’s arms. The arm Katherine had placed around her waist shifted higher and wrapped Abby tightly against Katherine, facing away from her, while her other hand simply skimmed across the curves and ridges and pleats and chains that made up Abby’s clothing and body.

Abby tried to turn to face her lover and return the favor, but Katherine’s arm tightened, holding Abby in place. Abby settled for reaching behind her and caressing Katherine’s hips and upper thighs—whatever she could reach. She didn’t move when Katherine loosened her grip enough for her hand to travel down and under her shirt, then returning to its location across her body, slipping between her breasts, skin on skin, and holding her secure. Abby squirmed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back as Katherine’s wandering hand slipped between them. She felt the elastic of her waistband tighten as that oh-so-naughty hand slipped into her skirt and tights, fingernails gently scraping against the curve of her ass. That wandering hand slipped forward, first cupping Abby’s hip and pulling her back against Katherine’s thigh, then it continued its journey, sliding between Abby’s legs, eliciting a moan from the practically boneless woman.

Instead of slipping inside her lover, however, Katherine stayed her hand and simply pinned Abby to her, only caressing the swollen, wet lips with a single finger, and letting the other hand wander this time. Abby gasped as the hand and fingers under her shirt slowly and gently scraped the skin on her chest, swirled around her breasts, then flicked the cold metal rods poking through the flesh of her nipples, one after the other. There was no way she could hide her desire, given the position of Katherine’s other hand, and so she made it known.

“Shit,” She exclaimed as she tried to push her hips against the hand between her thighs, “Thought we were doing this on the couch,” Abby almost whined, and she was hoping the distraction would allow her to at least have some contact or friction, maybe even spin around and kiss her lover.

“mmm, we will” came the response. Katherine was stronger than Abby realized, as she tried harder to wriggle free of the grasp around her hip. Katherine stilled at the attempt, not letting go, but not continuing. She rested a flat hand on Abby’s chest and her forehead on her shoulder, taking a few deep breaths.

“Abby,” she spoke into the woman’s back, “if you want me to stop something, promise you’ll tell me.”

Abby swallowed, not sure what she meant. “Um, ok…like…what?” She tried to turn around again, but Katherine’s grip tightened, obviously trying to make Abby understand something that Katherine wanted left unspoken. She paused, feeling the strong hands pinning her in such a vulnerable position. It clicked.

“OK.”

“OK?” Katherine’s hand stroked Abby’s chest, her neck, gentle compared to the arm taut against her hip bone. Wanting to make it just a little clearer, Katherine continued, “I’ve never done anything that needed a safe word, I just know…” She took a deep breath. “I know sometimes I may get a little enthusiastic and miss something, and…please, just promise you’ll tell me if you don’t want to, OK?”

Not bothering to try to turn around again, feeling the heat from the other woman’s face, Abby reached behind her and stroked Katherine’s hip. “I promise. But stop being a tease, would ya?” Katherine laughed, spun Abby around, and they both fell to the floor, couch be damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "What's the point of growing up of you can't be a little childish sometimes" is an awesome quote from doctor who.
> 
> If you don't know it, watch it. Seriously. Awesome.


	15. Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate's graduation day with the whole 'family'

Graduation day was here, finally. Neither Nate nor Katherine had been able to eat breakfast that morning, and were rushing out of the apartment, Katherine at least pushing a meal bar in Nate’s hand. “What about you?” She shrugged him off and just waved him through the door. She wasn't feeling well, and mildly lightheaded and nauseous, so refraining from breakfast would benefit everyone. One of the girls at the office had gotten the flu,  _ God, I hope this is over soon. _ She thought. She couldn't afford to get sick… Her clients could afford losing their attorney mid-case, even for a few days.

At the field where the ceremony was being held, Katherine hugged her silver-clad son, proud tears rolling down her cheeks. She grabbed his face and pulled him down and kissed his cheek. “Ok, ok, ok mom. I gotta go.” His blush was evident as he gave her one more squeeze and ran off with his classmates to line up. Katherine turned and looked arms with David’s mother, heading back to the row of seats already occupied by David’s father, Jethro, and Abby. David’s father, Patrick  at one end, Abby at the other--he was not particularly keen on his daughter-in-law having a relationship with a woman in general, and especially with a woman as 'unique’ as Abby. But Larissa, David’s mother, had told him to “can it” when he started making comments, and that she would “deal with him later.”

She originally wasn't sure about asking Abby to come, since they'd only been seeing each other a few weeks, but Nate had asked. Awkwardly, wringing his hands, he had told her that he’d like to meet her girlfriend, and if she thought she’d be sticking around a while, to maybe invite her. Katherine was speechless at first, which is a rare occurrence, but agreed she would talk with Abby.

Abby’s excitement about being invited was way more than she had expected, especially when she found out Jethro was going. “It’s like we get to really be family, Gibbs!” She had told him. He just rolled his eyes at her and whispered “already family Abs,” and that night they'd had their first dinner, all 4 of them, together. Katherine hadn't eaten much then either, but nobody noticed, they were all having too much fun. She’d lost another 3 pounds, but her weight often fluctuated by about 10#, depending on her stress level. Nothing to worry about, and having someone's life in her hands,plus her only son graduating high school, plus finally feeling comfortable around her only sister’s husband, was a whole lotta stress.

As the ceremony rolled on, Katherine couldn't keep the tears from her eyes. She felt her stomach flutter when Abby took a tissue from her purse [in a small pack with skulls on it of course] and touched it to Katherine's face. She met Abby’s eyes and saw a sheen of tears there too.

“I get why I'm crying, but Abs, what's up?”

“Cuz you're so cute! And I can't help it, I'm a sucker for the mushy stuff,” Abby replied and squeezed Katherine tight. Katherine sighed and let herself settle into Abby's arms. Until it came time for the diplomas. They were alphabetical, so Katherine had a ways to go, but soon enough, she heard the principal announce:

“Nathaniel Kelly McDonough, National Honor Society, diploma with honors.”

Their whole little family stood and cheered, Abby louder than the rest, but not by much. Katherine glanced at Jethro for just a second, knowing her choice of a middle name for her son would have affected him, and she was right. He was smiling, clapping, and she didn't say a word about the way he rubbed his eyes.  _ Pollen. Definitely pollen. _

After the students were released to their families, Nate ran up and hugged his grandparents. “Im so glad you guys could get in. I know they usually only allow 4 guests per student. You coming back to the apartment?”

“Of course, sweetheart, you want to ride with us? We have to pick up the ice cream.” At the mention of ice cream from his grandparents, Nate perked up like a 6 year old hearing the tinkling of the neighborhood ice cream truck.

“Heck yea! Mom, you ok?” Katherine laughed, “yes hon, go, I'll be there in a bit. Gotta try and keep your uncle from running before the party.” She noticed Gibbs’s eye roll, confirming her suspicions. “Let me know when you get there if I'm not there yet, ok?”

“Yes mother” and he planted a miss on her cheek and loped after his grandparents.

As soon as he was out of sight, Katherine's face dropped and she sank into a chair. Gibbs's brows immediately furrowed. “Ok, what's going on?” Abby sat behind her, uncharacteristically silent.

“I just don't feel…Right... I haven't felt like this since...since I had…” Her eyes closed. “Jethro, remember when I said there were some things I didn't talk about?” Gibbs nodded, taking her hand. “Jethro, after Nate was born, I had cancer. I got through it, but once you've had it, there is always a risk…”

“Let's get you to a doctor.” He said decisively, and held up a hand to help her up. “I can't. They messed me up, I don't trust them. This could just be a bug. And it’s Nate's day, I'm not gonna take that away from him.”

“Can I call my doctor? I trust him with my life, and im sure Shannon told you how I feel about doctors.”

Katherine nodded, and took Gibbs’s hand to stand. The sudden change in altitude, however, had her head swimming. “Shit,” she breathed, as her world went black.

*****

Katherine slowly regained awareness of her surroundings. She groaned, just knowing her girlfriend and overprotective brother-in-law would have brought her to the hospital for something as silly as fainting. Hospitals made her sick, and from the smell and brightness in the room, she could tell that’s where she was, before she even opened her eyes.

“Ah, Ms. McDonough, I see you're coming back to us young lady.” She smiled as she opened her eyes and saw a kind face above her. His British [Welsh? She wasn't sure] accent smooth as silk. He probably was quite the ladies man back in his day. “Abby? Nate?” She whispered.

“Miss Abigail is currently occupying your son in her laboratory, much to his dismay. He did prefer to remain by your side, as did she, but I was able to convince them to keep each other company so I could do a thorough exam when you regained consciousness. Jethro, however…” The doctor's eyes glanced behind Katherine and she felt a hand on her shoulder. As she glanced behind to see Jethro’s face, she noticed that she was certainly not in a hospital. It was just as cold and sterile, but lacked a lot of the necessary equipment and...wait…”you brought me to a MORGUE?” She yelled at Jethro. “Jesus, I'm not dead yet!” He flinched at the words, but she didn't care. She hated doctors and hospitals, but what the hell?

“Jethro, perhaps it is time I spoke with my patient privately?”

“Yeah Duck, call me, ok?”

“Of course.”

Katherine gaped as Jethro followed the doctor's instruction and select the room. He never listened to a doctor, whether it was for his own good or not.

“Perhaps introductions are in order. My name is doctor Donald Mallard, and yes, my primary profession is currently the medical examiner for the DC NCIS. I do, however, have the necessary qualifications to practice general medicine, and a number of this team consider me their personal physician.” Katherine closed her eyes in understanding. “Jethro mentioned something like that, before…” she waved her hands and whistled, indicating her faint and fall.

“First let me confirm that you haven't suffered any damage from this present episode, and then we will get into your medical history and current symptoms, alright?”

“Ok. And this all stays between us?”

“Of course. Most of my patients do not get the benefit of doctor-patient confidentiality, but you're one who does.”

******

Abby was pacing. She was supposed to be keeping Nate occupied so he didn't worry, but she wasn't good at that. At least she wasn't vocalizing her worry while Nate sat at her desk chewing on the skin around his fingernails.

_ What if she's really sick? We haven't even really gotten serious...should I have moved faster? What if I lose her before I know her better? Why don't I know more about her? Why didn't I know she had cancer? What kind of cancer? Why didn't I notice how bad she felt? _

“Abbs!” Gibbs barked, “what the hell happened to keeping my nephew occupied?” Abby snapped her head toward Gibbs and flew into his arms. He squeezed her, but then promptly pushed her back. Quietly, he almost growled, “I know you're scared, we all are, but this kid is the most important thing right now. Think about him, not yourself.”

Abby held back a sniffle. She squared her shoulders, stood up straight, and nodded. “Nate, come over here...ever wanted to be a forensic scientist?”

“No.”

“Tough, I need help.” Nate grumbled, but stood and approached Abby's computer. Gibbs rubbed his hand across his face and leaned on the doorframe. He wanted to either run back to autopsy and demand answers, or drag Tony into his 'office’ and spill his heart out. Neither idea was feasible, and so he stayed glued to the frame, checking his phone for messages every few seconds.


	16. Results

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ducky gets the test results.

Gibbs sighed in relief as he shut the door to Katherine's bedroom. He shuffled Abby and Nate into the living room, then went to the kitchen to bring them all some water.

“Ok team, Ducky said she should be fine in a few days, but should probably have some help. Nate, you've got some soccer camp coming up, right?” Nate nodded, but quickly interjected, “but I don't have to, I can help out here, that's not a problem…”

“No, you've got college in just a few months, don't worry, by the time you leave she'll be fine, and we're here to help too. That's what family is for” Abby responded, pulling him into a hug.

Nate shrugged, “it’s just weird, you know? She's never really been sick before. Not that I can remember anyway. And it's always been just us.”

“Not anymore,” Gibbs said, clapping a hand on Nate's shoulder. “Go shower, we got this.” The young man looked relieved and slowly headed to his room, peeking at his mom on the way. Gibbs felt bad for the boy, having this happen on what was supposed to be one of the best days of his life [so far].

“Why won't Ducky tell us what's going on, Gibbs? He's gotta have a clue!” Abby whimpered.

“Abs, everything is fine for now. Nothing immediately showed up, she's just dehydrated and a bit malnourished. He sent out some tests that will take a few days to get back.”

“I could have done them all! We'd know by now!”

Gibbs gave Abby a hard stare and she lowered her voice before she continued, “why wouldn't she let ME run the tests? I'm the best, Gibbs! Doesn't she trust me to get it right?”

Gibbs sighed. “Abbs, it’s not about trust, she probably wants to be the first to know if something is wrong.”

Abby still pouted. “Fine, but I don't have to like it.” Then she sniffled and continued. “I like her. A lot. Like, I was gonna give her this…” Abby pulled a toothbrush out of her bag. It had a bow wrapped around the unopened package. “You know, like, ‘leave a toothbrush at my place’ kinda thing? That's a huge step, right?”

Gibbs gave her a small smile. “She'll love it. Let's both crash here tonight, and figure out tomorrow once she wakes up?”

“Deal,” Abby said as she snuggled up to Gibbs on the couch. Gibbs knew he could never sleep like this, but he kissed the top of Abby's head anyway and turned off the light.

The next few days went about as well as could be expected. Katherine felt much better after Ducky gave her some fluids and an anti-nausea medication and she kept trying to kick out her houseguests claiming to be “just fine” and calling them busybodies. Abby snapped once and told her to sit down and accept a damn cracker before she cuffed her to the bed. Gibbs almost [almost] had to avert his eyes at the lustful look that passed between the two before they burst into laughter. Gibbs complained that Katherine was worse at following doctors orders than Tony was. Abby gave him a funny look he couldn't place until he realized he'd called his SFA “Tony” instead of “DiNozzo” but he ignored it. By Tuesday, Katherine insisted she was well enough to be trusted on her own, and accepted 2 visits per day from Gibbs and Abby would spend the nights for a week.

Wednesday, after Nate left for soccer camp, and she was relishing the quiet in her apartment, Katherine heard her doorbell. “Seriously?” She groaned as she got up. Ducky was at the door. “I have your results back, my dear. I am absolutely positive about the reason for all of your symptoms, shall we sit?" Katherine froze and tried to analyze his face. Was he sympathetic? Relieved? Damnit, she couldn't read him. “Come in doctor.”

Later that night. Katherine sat by the phone waiting for Nate to call. Gibbs had been there and gone, and Katherine felt terrible for not mentioning Ducky’s visit that afternoon, but Nate needed to be the first to know. He’s her whole life, and even though he’s going to college in the fall, this is his life too. The phone rang and Katherine picked up before the first bell ended. “Nate? Hi honey...um...I hate to do this over the phone, but we should talk…”

*****

She wasn't sure who she should tell after Nate, so she called Gibbs and asked him to come with Abby. She also wanted to make sure they were both free on Friday [as long as there wasn't a case] because Ducky had made an appointment with a specialist for her, and she wanted as much support as possible. As soon as she mentioned that Ducky had gotten the results, Gibbs agreed to give Abby a ride over. He only sounded mildly annoyed that she hadn't mentioned this earlier.

The hardest part of all of this was that she had just started to really be happy. Her and Abby were getting really serious. She may have even almost told Abby she loved her when Abby presented her with the black and red toothbrush to keep at her place. The only reason she didn't was the feeling of butterflies in her stomach and breath hitching in her throat that Abby mistook for a sign of distress.

This kind of thing isn't good for such a new relationship. If they'd only gone on a few dates, then there wouldn't be any pressure on Abby to stay and be supportive. If they'd been together for years, then staying and being supportive would have been assumed. But after, what, 2 months? Abby would absolutely feel like she had to stay, and all Katherine could think of was “what if she wants to leave in 2, 4, 8 months? She wouldn't, she would stay because she's ‘supposed to.’" This complicated everything. It changed all their lives. Mostly hers, obviously, but she knew Gibbs would always put family first, so he was in it for the long haul too. She couldn't put this all on Nate, but she wouldn't be able to live alone much longer, and he would absolutely withdraw from college if she didn't find another way.

The tears came as she sat at her dining room table and waited for her new family.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me. Elevator/Tibbs stuff next chapter, I promise.


	17. Talking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Gibbs at work on Thursday, then they talk.

The elevator dinged and Gibbs hugged Abby as she got off to head to the lab. “Tomorrow, 8am. I'm driving.” Abby just nodded. Gibbs let the doors close and she'd again when they stopped before his destination. This time Tony got on. Tony. Not DiNozzo. He smiled that goofy grin that had only recently started turning Gibbs's legs to something slightly resembling Jell-O, and Gibbs grunted. He looked down at the floor until a cup was pressed into his hand. “Black tar special, boss, just how ya like it.” He took the cup as the doors opened and for once he followed Tony into the bullpen instead of the other way around.

Surprisingly, they weren't called on any cases that morning, so they worked some cold cases and paperwork. Gibbs was on edge and a lot less pleasant than he had been for a little while. Bishop was starting to regret her earlier optimism about the situation. But she noticed the sideways glances didn't stop. Sure, Gibbs was more squinty about it, but he was definitely looking at Tony. Obviously, he looked at every team member on occasion, but this was to the point where, if others weren't so intimidated by his curt mood, they would certainly have noticed it. She’d have to speak with Tim and compare notes.

Around 12:30, Tony, stood, stretched, and volunteered to grab everyone lunch. Even McGee noticed Tony's blush as he caught Gibbs staring at his tall form, long and lean, and the hint of skin near the waist of his pants where his shirt had gotten a little twisted. “Uh...pizza?” Tony asked, and McGee and Bishop both nodded their approval. Before he could check Gibbs's response, the team lead was almost in the elevator. In a split second decision, Tony ran past Bishop and got to the elevator just in time to stick his hand between the doors. He swore he heard a grunt as the doors opened and Gibbs slid to the back of the car, leaning against the wall.

Tony noticed Gibbs had hit the button for the lab, but didn't ask why. There were no active cases, and Abbs had already sent him several private chat messages expressing her boredom, so he guessed it was personal. Tony reached across Gibbs and hit the button for the lobby.

“Pizza, boss?” he asked, as the doors slid closed, but Gibbs didn't respond.

“Come on, you can't survive on coffee and interns tears, you know,” and turned and smiled at Gibbs. That thousand watt smile. That damned smile that made Gibbs want to forget everything around him and throw half of his rules to the wind. Ok, maybe a third. Or just one. Gibbs suddenly leaned forward and slammed the emergency stop, halting the elevator. He placed both hands on the wall on either side of the panel and leaned into them, hanging his head. Tony waited. He could see the fast, deep breaths Gibbs was taking, something he'd never seen from the man, and from the way his face was turned slightly away, he guessed this time in his 'office’ was him opening up to Tony. About what, he didn't know, but it was a step.

Gibbs clenched his jaw and slammed his hand onto the wall. Hard. Tony jumped a little, but the rest of Gibbs didn't change position, so he stayed put too. Then he saw Gibbs pull his right hand into a fist, and he acted. Just as Gibbs pulled his hand back, aiming for the wall again, Tony caught it. “Gun hand, Boss,” he said, quietly, as he gripped the fist tightly. Gibbs snapped his head up and met Tony's eyes for the first time that day. At least one tear had made it down the side of Gibbs's face, and more threatened behind his ice blue eyes.

Tony pulled Gibbs into his chest and Gibbs offered little resistance. When his arms wrapped around the older man's back, Gibbs leaned into the embrace, quickly tightening his own arms almost painfully around Tony, his hands still in fists. No more tears came, but Tony held his boss, his friend,  _ his _ Jethro, until their breathing matched, heart rates settled, and the tension in Gibbs's body broke. When Tony felt flat hands resting gently on his shoulder blades, he backed up, hoping for some kind of explanation. But none came. Gibbs closed his eyes, leaned over and started the car again, and just whispered, “thanks Tony.”

Tony missed the lobby as he stood in the car and watched Gibbs walk into Abby's lab.

*****

_ Ugggghhhh!!!  _ Tony was desperate. It was 2am and, again, he couldn't sleep. Usually it wasn't this bad though. Today was just… _ What the holy fuck was that about? _

If Gibbs just wanted to be friends, he could handle that. If Gibbs wanted to give it a shot, great. But this whole mixed signal thing was driving Tony up the wall.

_ Screw it, I'm going to the range. _

Tony belonged to several shooting ranges, one of which catered to LEOs, and therefore was open 24hrs. He grabbed his service weapon and his backup, a box of rounds for each, and pulled on jeans and a T-shirt, waved goodbye to Ziva and Kate, dropping a few pellets of food for them, and rushed out the door.

At the range, he left everything in a locker and set up. He wasn't alone, but pretty close, after emptying 50 rounds from his Sig, he decided to practice his long range shots. Here, if you had approval, you could sign out other types of guns. He selected one of his favorites, purchased the rounds, and stepped out onto the well lit outdoor range. He knew this rifle well, knew the nuances of the scope, all of it. He settled onto his stomach and selected his target. A small orange spinner, about 900 yds out. Difficult, but not impossible, especially since he'd been working on his technique. He felt the wind, checked humidity, calculated some angles, and lined up his shot. Several deep breaths were able to help him slow his heart rate enough, and he fired. Pulling out the binoculars, he heard a slow clapping sound.

“Haha, Joe, thanks, I know, I haven't perfected the thousand yard shot yet,” Tony started, assuming the owner had watched his shot.

“You will.” Came the response. Not Joe.

“Jethro? How did you find me? I don't have a stalker, do I?” Gibbs laughed. Ok, chuckled, but close enough. “I called, but you didn't pick up.”

“It's 3 in the damn morning! I do sleep sometimes, you know!”

Gibbs raised an eyebrow

“Ok, not lately. Which is your fault, by the way.”

The raised eyebrow fell and Gibbs swallowed. “I know. That's why I found your phone, came here. To talk.”

Tony guffawed. “You don't talk, Boss, in case you haven't noticed.”

“Just cuz I don't, doesn't mean I can't. When it's important.”

Tony didn't know how to respond, so he started gathering his things. When Gibbs stayed in place, Tony simply called over his shoulder “come on then, you can buy me a REALLY early breakfast.” Gibbs smiled and trotted behind to catch up.

At the diner, they selected a booth in the corner, farthest from the counter where most of the other 3:30am patrons were sitting. Nothing was said until 3 coffee cups were full in front of them [2 for Gibbs, of course].

“So, talking… I'm still amazed, but I'm listening.”

Gibbs clenched and unclenched his jaw, like he was practicing moving his mouth to speak.

“Ok, I'll start.” Tony figured if he got the ball rolling it might help. “You won't hurt my feelings if you don't feel the same way as I do. I've always been an equal opportunity lover, and I've fallen for plenty of straight guys and gotten over them too, usually keeping the friendship the same, so if that's what you want, it's not going to hurt me. If you're just not sure because I'm the first guy you've kissed like that, but you want to give us a shot, that's ok too. Panic I can deal with. But I'm just letting you know… This mixed signals stuff is driving me crazy, Jethro.”

_ That was a lot for 3:30am… What's in this coffee?  _ Tony wondered.

“Not the first, Tony.”

Tony started coughing as he inhaled a little bit of his coffee. “What?”

“You're not the first guy I've kissed, Tony. It's been several decades, but…” Gibbs looked at Tony, hoping he would ask a question or make a joke, or somehow take the pressure off, even just a little, but no dice. So he sighed. “I'm sure you've met, or at least heard of, the head sniper instructor at Quantico, Agent Edgerton?” Tony nodded. “We trained together. They paired us together because we were the best. He was spotting me and I made a really hard shot. 1200 yards, full humidity, sweat in my eyes, high winds. He wanted to celebrate, and didn't know I was married, and…” Gibbs inhaled sharply “I forgot, for about 2 minutes.”

Tony tried to envision the two men together. And damn, if they weren't alike. Too bad this had happened before camera phones and Skype…

“Am I boring you, DiNozzo?” Gibbs asked, snapping Tony out of his fantasy.

“Oh, no, just filing that image away in my mental porn stash.” Gibbs rolled his eyes.”it was a helluva lot hotter when we were in our 20s.”

Tony waggled his eyebrows, “I bet! But seriously, what's going on in that silver melon of yours? None of it is going to shock or upset me, so lay it out.”

Gibbs nodded, then took a deep swig of his first coffee, finishing it, and picked up the other. “I can't let you go back to being just a co-worker. Even a co-worker who sometimes comes over for beer, pizza, bourbon and willing to watch me build my boat for hours.” Tony felt a tightening in his chest.  _ Did I screw this up? If he doesn't want to be with me, and he doesn't want to work with me…  _ “what are you saying, Jethro?”

Gibbs sighed. “I don't do this often, Tony, so how 'bout you just listen, k?” Tony made a motion zipping his lips.

“Like I was saying...or, not, cuz I'm not good at this…” Gibbs brought one hand to the back of his neck and lowered his head. “Tony, I want this. I do. If I didn't, this wouldn't be so goddamn hard.” Tony released the breath he didn't realize he’d been holding. “But we can’t.”  _ Aaand, there it was.  _ Tony felt like the wind was knocked out of him.

“If you want it, why not?” He asked, quietly.

Gibbs felt his hand curl into a fist. “You. Deserve. Better.” He snarled. For the second time today, Tony covered that fist with his hand and found those blue eyes he was so infatuated with. “I don't care what you think I deserve. I want YOU. If you're not ready, that's fine. If you're not interested, that's fine. But it's not fine to push me away because of some messed up sense of low self-worth.”

“It's not messed up!” Gibbs yelled, drawing startled looks from the other patrons of the diner. “It's not messed up,” Gibbs repeated, quieter and calmer. “I'm a bastard, Tony. I hurt people, it’s what I do. I don't want to do that to you. I won't do that to you. If we try this, it’s gonna happen. Not just once, not twice, but over and over again. Hell, I probably won't even notice I fucked up until it’s too late. Why do you think I got 3 ex wives, one of 'em so hurt she whacked me-”

“Yeah, yeah, golf club, I know. I'm a big boy, Jethro. You're not sunshine and roses, so what? I haven't been scared off in 15 years, you think sleeping together would change that?”  _ Shit.  _ Tony turned beet red. They were talking about maybe dating, not hopping into bed. Thankfully, Gibbs let that slide.

“Tony, you're the first person I've really trusted in a very long time.” He let that hang in the air for a while before continuing. “I don't know what I'd do if I lost that. If I hurt you and you didn't have my six.”

“Do you really trust me?” Tony asked.

“Absolutely.”

“Then listen to me. I'm not perfect either. I've got plenty of issues and baggage, and I'll probably hurt you too, but we can get through it. 15 years is a hell of a lot longer than any relationship I've ever been in, and we've done some pretty shitty things to each other already.”

Gibbs cringed as he thought of his return from Mexico. “Never apologized for that, Tony,”

“Don't. It's over, and I'm not innocent either. But as I was saying...don't make a decision because you're trying to figure out what's best for ME. I can take care of myself there, trust me. I decided to tell you because if you want this, it’s there, and that's my decision. You need to decide what YOU want. I'll always be here, whether you say yes or no, and even if we can't make it work. I'm your friend first. I won't wait forever on the relationship offer, though. I'm loyal as a St. Bernard, but I can't be a doormat. You understand, right?”

Gibbs nodded. “Hear ya loud and clear.”

Tony licked his lips and looked at the weathered hand resting in his palm now. Slowly, he pulled that hand to his lips and kissed it. Gently, barely brushing the skin, he whispered, “please, don't take too long.” Gibbs curled his hand around and cupped Tony’s face and Tony leaned into the gesture. “No more mixed signals, either, I promise. When I know, you'll know.” Tony sighed.

As Gibbs dropped Tony off to his car, Tony leaned back to the open window. “Rule 5, Boss. And yes, I'm REALLY good.” And he winked. That wink traveled straight to Gibbs's groin, and he shifted in his seat as he drove away.  _ This kid must be delusional,  _ he thought,  _ but damn if he isn't hot. _

Instead of a cold shower this time, Gibbs decided to forego sleep for a long, hot shower, so he could take matters into his own hands.

  
  



	18. The appointment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The doctor's appointment, mostly, and some of the discussions after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: brief mention of previous miscarriage.

8am came far too soon for Gibbs. He's spent quite a long time in the shower at 4am, and as much as he liked others to believe he could survive for weeks without sleep, that simply wasn't the case. Coffee in hand, he pulled up to Abby’s apartment. She too looked like her sleep hadn't helped, if she got any, but she perked up at the sight of a caf-pow in the cupholder, grabbed it, and climbed into the backseat

“Oh Gibbs, you sure know the way to a woman’s heart,” she proclaimed, hugging the huge cup and taking a huge gulp. “Not on my watch, he’s not.” Katherine climbed into the front seat of the car and kissed Gibbs on the cheek.  “Let's do this,” she said as she buckled her seatbelt.

The car peeled away And Katherine immediately regretted her decision to let Gibbs drive. Sure, they'd get there on time, but holy Hannah, who knows if they'd get there before she… “Jethro...not feeling so hot” she implored, and felt the car slow slightly. They were still speeding, but the jerking movements and swerving had minimized. Abby reached between the seats and placed a hand on Katherine's arm, and Katherine placed her opposite hand on top.

Gibbs and Abby sat in the rough, uncomfortable chairs of the waiting room as Katherine went to the bathroom before the appointment. Abby shifted repeatedly, crossing and uncrossing her legs, biting the skin around her nails, until Gibbs cleared his throat and said, low and deep, “Abby…”

“Sorry Boss...Gibbs...i just...I'm nervous. Like, what if Ducky's wrong? You know?”

“That's why we’re here, Abs.”

Katherine returned, and the nurse called her name. Both of her companions stood, and the nurse tried to tell them only one person would be allowed. Katherine snorted. “Hon, that's a lost battle right there...they're coming, so might as well just avoid the fight.” The nurse rolled her eyes and said “fine, follow me,  _ everyone. _ ”

Lying on the table, Katherine felt her heart rate rising, and nausea building again, until Abby’s hand found hers. She closed her eyes and tried to relax as she heard the nurse wheel in the machine. Abby immediately got distracted by the shiny new toy, and Katherine draped her elbow over her eyes. Gibbs leaned forward and patted her shoulder, but she didn't look up. She just wanted this appointment over so she could know what to do from here. She heard the tech, nurse, and Abby discussing the mechanics and accuracy of the equipment in the room, as well as in the office, but all Katherine wanted to hear was one little sound.

Soon enough, the tech was ready to begin. Katherine flinched at the touch, but quickly, she heard it. She heard Gibbs’s sharp intake of breath at the sound, and the tears fell again, far too often lately, but she couldn't help it. As the sound continued to fill the room, she heard the tech announce “congratulations, this was a bit early, but, it looks like...about 6 weeks, and perfectly healthy.” Abby squealed and hugged Katherine. “A Gibblet!!” Katherine hugged her back and reached behind her, feeling Gibbs take her hand. The tech and nurse looked at the trio, smiled a little uncomfortably, and left them to have a little privacy.

*****

Gibbs rode the elevator in a daze. His ex-wives had all brought up kids at some point, some more than others, but he always denied them. He felt like it would just be betraying his little girl, like he'd be replacing her. It was easier to never have to confront that again. Now, here he was, in his goddamn 50s, getting his sister-in-law pregnant. The three of them had agreed not to tell the team yet, mostly because of the serious complications Katherine was almost sure to be dealing with, given her history. Until they had a better handle on how serious this was, it was not to become public knowledge.

Except Ducky knew. He could talk to Ducky. Hell, Ducky probably knew more than he did right now. His hand hovered over the button to take him back down to autopsy. But he pulled it back. He had agreed not to talk. This was going to be a long day.

The elevator dinged, the doors slid open, and Gibbs steeled his face. He made a conscious decision to not be too much of an asshole today as he dropped the coffees on the desks of his team.

*****

It was Tuesday night, and Gibbs was finally able to relax. They'd had a kidnapping case, caught on Friday, and it took them until today to wrap it up. They'd found the kid on Sunday, but the guilty parties hadn't been rounded up and subjected to the Gibbs interrogation until today. The team had seemed a little extra wide-eyed when he left each room, which he attributed to his slightly over-zealous technique, but it had worked, and he hadn't beaten the couple, so it was a pretty successful day. He was sitting on his couch eating takeout when his door opened.

“Hey Pops.” He glanced at Katherine as she strolled into his house. “Sorry...too soon?” She asked. He simply huffed a reply. Katherine plopped unceremoniously onto the other end of the couch, kicking off her shoes and rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Abby said you finally got the guy to confess, so she let me out of her sight long enough to get here. She’s great, but I'm a little worried.”

Gibbs chewed his chicken and raised his eyebrows.

“She asked me to move in with her. I mean, my lease is up in 2 months, but we don't even know yet if I'm going to have the same issues. And moving in with someone so soon? Hell, I never even moved in with my ex fiancee!”

“She just wants to help.” Gibbs responded, unsure of what to say.

“Jethro, if this were any other situation, I'd be running! I don't do the whole clingy “u-haul on the second date” dyke-o-drama! But I know she worries, and I know there's a high likelihood that I'll be stuck in bed for months if this kid makes it to the second trimester, but…” her voice trailed off when she noticed Gibbs had stopped eating. She sighed. “I didn't even think about you, I'm sorry, I'm just a little self-centered lately.”

Gibbs shook his head slightly and wordlessly dismissed her concern. “Oh, come on, stop the caveman routine,” Katherine challenged him. “If I'm not OK, you're not OK. And at least I have Abby to talk to about some of it.” He continued slowly picking at his food. “Look, I get it. We’re too damn old for this, it’s all kinds of messed up, and then there's our other kids…”

“You don't get it.” Gibbs growled [he was doing that a lot lately] as he stood up and threw half of his dinner in the kitchen trash. “Yeah, I do,” she responded. He ignored her statement and just turned to head to the basement.

“You're not the only one who’s lost a child, Jethro.” He stopped. “I had a daughter too.” He let his head fall backward and closed his eyes. He was _so_ not ready for this. But he turned back toward her anyway.

“After the cancer, they told me that the chemo frying my ovaries had a silver lining. I could never have another child, so I wouldn't have to have my tubes tied. So David and I weren't as careful, and when he was home on leave, right after Nate’s 6th birthday, I got pregnant. The doctors tried to convince me to abort and not even tell him, but I couldn't do it. Unfortunately, 6 months later, I got the knock on the door. I went into labor 2 weeks later, just after the funeral, and she didn't make it.” Her story was rehearsed, unemotional. Gibbs looked at her closer and her eyes weren't focused on anything, she was just giving the facts.

“Who knows?” He asked.

“David’s parents. They helped me when I had to go on bed rest. Nate probably knows, but we don't talk about it. Dr. Mallard, since he got my charts. That's it.”

“Not Abby?”

She leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. “No. She’s doing so much already, and taking on so much, and this would just be too much. I love her dearly, but…” she stopped and swallowed hard.  _ Love _ . She loved Abby.

Gibbs sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. “She  _ can _ get rather exuberant in her protectiveness.” He smiled at her, and she chuckled.

“That’s an understatement. Jethro, look, I've got my issues here, there's no denying that. But what about you?”

“I'll be fine.” He told her.

“Im sure you will, but maybe you’d be better than just fine if you actually talked about it?” He scoffed, and she continued, “not with me, if that matters, but someone? It’ll make me feel better if I know you're going to be better than fine.”

“Fine.”

“That was too easy. Dont try and get out with a technicality. Promise you’ll talk to someone? Please?” He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “I will.”

His hand instinctively traveled to her stomach, but he pulled it back. “It’s fine, Jethro,” she said and put his hand back on her abdomen. “Might as well get used to it.”

They sat like that for a while, until the front door opened. “Hey Boss!” Tony’s voice traveled through the open space. He stopped when he saw the two of them on the couch, obviously backing up from an embrace. Trying to hide the hurt in his voice, he defaulted to his normal 'cover’ and made a joke. “Jeez, Boss, I knew I shoulda dyed my hair red! I'll leave you two alone,” and he backed toward the front door, hands in the air.

“Tony, stay. Just gimme a sec, ok?” Gibbs met his eyes and motioned toward the kitchen. The redhead in his arms didn't look up, and Tony took a second to decide...should he listen to his boss and just wait in the kitchen, or should he leave? Gibbs was rubbing the woman’s back protectively, and Tony figured he would split the difference. He wouldn't leave, but he wouldn't go to the kitchen either. He headed down the stairs to the basement.

When Tony had left, Gibbs pulled back all the way and cupped Katherine's chin in his hand. “Move in here.” He said, decisively. “What?” She squinted in confusion. “I don't want my kid so far away. If we’re gonna do this, at least come to me.” She pulled back and pushed his hand away. “I'm not leaving Abby to have some sort of shotgun arrangement between us, Jethro, I don't want that and you don't want that.” Quickly he smiled and interrupted, “no, not like that. I have 3 bedrooms here, move into one of them. I can keep my eye on you and this little guy, and you don't have to worry about moving too fast with Abby. Win-win.”

“And how do you think will Abby feel about this?” She knew this wouldn't go over well, even though it was a logical suggestion.

“She’ll probably hate it. But it’s the best option. Give all of us some peace of mind.”

Katherine sighed and hugged Gibbs goodbye. “I'll talk to her. Go see your boy. He’s probably thinking you're cheating on him,” Katherine chuckled, but stopped when she felt Gibbs tighten and let go quickly.

“Jeez, Jethro, sorry. He just...oh, never mind. He was a little hurt, at least, maybe you should go explain.”

“This is nobody else’s business.”

“Maybe not, but maybe he could help. The whole talking thing, remember?”

“Done too much already.” Gibbs grumbled.

“Nope. You promised. I'm a fragile flower carrying your unborn child...you’d really break a promise to me?” She looked at him in faux innocence.

“You're awful. Who knew you were so good at being an obnoxious little sister?” He laughed.

“If it works, it’s worth it. Go. Be nice.” She pushed him in the general direction of the basement, slipped her feet into her shoes and opened the front door.

 


	19. Tony finds out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gibbs tells Tony

Tony paced in the basement. First standing in the back waiting for Gibbs, then feeling foolish and starting to head up the stairs. Then thinking better of it and coming back down. He told Gibbs he didn't care if they were just friends, so why should he be upset that he’d come into HIS house and found him in the arms of a beautiful redhead? He just came by to chat, no reason that had to change just because Tony couldn't keep his thoughts off the protective way Gibbs had covered her back with his hands. But maybe they just wanted some privacy. Not unexpected, since it was Gibbs's house.

As he was facing away from the stairs, he suddenly felt a hand connect sharply with the back of his head. Standing up straight, he automatically said “Thanks Boss.” He hadn't even heard Gibbs come down the stairs.

“So you've met Katherine.” Gibbs said, matter-of-factly. Tony felt like a weight had been lifted. “Oh, that's who that was?”

“Yes, Tony, that's who that was.”

“She ok? She seemed upset, and you've been trying really hard to contain the bastard the past few days Boss.”

“Yeah, Tony, she’s ok.” Gibbs thought about what Katherine had said about actually talking about it. Before he could think too much, he blurted it out. “She’s pregnant.”

“Woah. Does Abby know? Was it before they got together or... I mean, did something bad happen…”

“No, no, nothing like that. Abby knows and she’s already gone into 'take care of everything’ mode” Tony groaned and Gibbs smirked. They’d all been subject to the younger woman’s affections when something was wrong, and it could be quite overwhelming. “Her heart’s in the right place, but I asked Katherine to move in here instead of Abby’s. She has some issues with her uterus and cervix that mean she’ll more than likely be on bed rest for months.”

“That's awesome, Jethro, I mean, family first and all, but what about the father? Does he know? Why the hell isn't he stepping up?” Gibbs just stared at Tony. The silence got a little uncomfortable, and Tony started shifting his weight from foot to foot until it clicked. “You? It’s…”

“Yeah.”

Tony's mind reeled with questions, but before he could voice any of them, Gibbs had tossed him a sanding block. Sanding was one of the few things he was trusted with when it came to Gibbs projects. He held his tongue and just got to sanding. It was almost meditative, feeling for rough spots with one hand and slowly feeling the roughness disappear under the other hand. After what seemed like forever, Gibbs spoke again.

“I promised I would talk about it. Don't know what to say, though.”

“Jethro, you don't have to.” Tony was torn between wanting to collect this beautiful man into his arms and hug and kiss his fears and pain away, and just calmly listening. He decided to listen, because that's what Jethro needed right then. He needed an unjudging ear and a comforting presence. He needed a friend, not a suitor.

“I do, Tony. That's why I feel like this. I didn't talk for 20 damn years, and because of it, all I can think about is Kelly. If this kid makes it, he’s gonna need a fairly sane father.” Tony nodded.

“I could have had more kids. Diane wanted a couple, but I wouldn't. I'd rather push people away than deal with my own issues. Now I don't have a choice. I’m old, and ya can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Tony spoke up then, “But you want this kid, right?” Gibbs spun around, fire in his eyes, “Of course DiNozzo, who the hell do you think I am?” Tony raised his hands “woah papa bear, just making a point. You're worried your feelings and history will make you a worse father, but your reaction right there puts you miles ahead of a lot of parents in the world. Whatever else happens, whatever you're feeling about it, you'll be the best dad for that kid.”

Gibbs leaned back onto his workbench. “You know I hate it when you're right.” But his slightly upturned lip told Tony otherwise.

“Look, whatever you need, I'm here. I take it the probies don't know?”

“No. And we’re keeping it that way for now.”

“Fair enough. And thanks.”

Gibbs looked confused. “For what? You listened to me and set me straight.”

“For trusting me. Always got your six, Boss.”

“Well, that and pregnant women are scary. Katherine would have had my hide if I broke my promise.” They both laughed and Gibbs placed a friendly hand on Tony's shoulder. He wanted to do more, wanted to steal a hug that he knew would be readily given, but... _ mixed signals _ . Now was not the time to deal with his own desires. But Tony was keeping his word. He wasn't ditching him because he was taking too long, and they were slowly getting back to their comfortable ease around each other. Gibbs wanted this, he wanted Tony. But not now. Not until he knew more about how the next several months, and many years, hopefully, would be working out. And he could only hope that Tony would wait just a little while longer.


	20. The move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost 2 months later and Katherine is settling in.

Abby’s response to Katherine and Gibbs’s suggestion was, expectedly, rather emotional. At first, she got irrationally angry at Gibbs, claiming he was trying to make a relationship because of this baby. Then she swung the other way and doted on Katherine, obviously trying to convince her to move in with her instead. Then she accused Katherine of thinking she wasn't good enough or strong enough to support her. And when it became obvious that Katherine was moving into casa de Gibbs, she mostly just pouted. At least she was still calling and they had had several dates. She was just being distant.

Katherine, however, no matter how much it hurt that Abby was so up and down, had to focus on her son. Her kids, now, hopefully. Nate was going to be uprooted. He’d go to college and then his whole room and previous life would be gone. He’d come home for break and be relegated to a guest room, or the sofa. He wouldn't have his own space, and no matter how genuinely excited he was about having a sibling, he was still angry and upset. But he tried to be strong for his mom. He even sold a lot of his stuff on Craigslist to make room, and then put the money in a little yellow ducky bank, just in case he couldn't make it home for the baby shower-whenever it would be.

He started hanging out with Uncle Jethro, and at one point when he was in a teenage temper tantrum, told him in no uncertain terms that he’d better keep his mom safe. He may have been young, but he was a head taller than Gibbs and all lean muscle. If it had been anyone else, Gibbs would have laughed at his attempt to use his height to intimidate the older man, but he understood. The boy was worried, and nobody would let him take a year off of college to stay home, so Gibbs only nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. He made sure Nate really grasped just how much he cared, and how far he’d go to protect his family. Nate’s eyes turned to saucers when Gibbs described his 'trip’ to Mexico for Hernandez, but he also seemed to find relief in that.

Katherine's appointments were still every week, always with 2 people, one of whom was always Gibbs. Ducky came sometimes, Tony had gone to a few, Abby had gone to a few. Even Nate tagged along to some of the more recent ones, where the ultrasound was on her belly--he still turned his head when they had to pull his mother's pants down farther than he was comfortable with, but once he got to see the little person in black and white on the screen, he beamed. He called the baby his sister. Gibbs always said ‘he.’ Tony called the baby 'spawn’ and Abby called him/her Gibblet. Even when she was keeping a distance, she always checked in to see how Katherine and the Gibblet were doing.

*****

Abby had gone to the nuns several times. She was genuinely hurt that Katherine had moved in with her boss. One stupid night together, and now they were playing house, and she was pushed away. She was glad most of the nuns didn't mind that she was there discussing her girlfriend, and that they were brutally honest and loving at the same time.

“Ms. Scuito, do you truly believe your Jethro would purposely push you away from this young lady for whom you have such feelings?” Sister Mary Elizabeth asked.

“No, not purposely, but he’s the dad, you know? Of course he’s going to be, like, the most important person. And I am just the girlfriend, who showed up at a bad time.” She was pouting again.

“My dear Abby, has she treated you any differently? Has she refused to see you? Refused your calls? Chosen to spend an exceptional amount of time with Gibbs instead of yourself?”

“Well, no. But, why did she move in with him? Why not me?” She slumped onto the seat next to the ball return, letting her custom shoes slide out over the floor.

“Abby, your heart is so kind, we all know you want to help her in her time of need. But think of it from her perspective. If she hadn't become pregnant, if she hadn't been diagnosed with significant complications, would you have moved in together so quickly?”

“I... um... I gave her a toothbrush…” Abby knew she was defeated. In the conversation, not the game, of course, but still. “I just want to help. I want to be there.”

“But Abby, you can. Just let her make the decisions she feels are best for her family. She's simply moved, it does not matter where. She may have physical limitations soon, is it necessary to limit your interactions before that happens?”

Abby sniffled, and pulled on one of her pigtails. It wasn't quite as effective as a Gibbslap, but it was something. Gibbs had been avoiding her at work too, and that didn't help matters. She’s supposed to be his favorite. Now he was mad at her, and it was definitely his fault. Ok, mostly his fault.

 _Fine. I screwed up._ She decided she would call Katherine as soon as the game was over. They were supposed to go out tomorrow, and she hadn't decided where. Heck, forget the game. She asked Sister Mary Catherine to take her place so she could make some reservations.

 ***

Katherine's lease was up in a week, and she’d been spending nights at Gibbs's house for a while now. Nate was settled into the third bedroom in the house, which would eventually be the baby’s room, but for the first several months she or he would be sleeping in Katherine's room anyway, so Nate staked a claim.

Tony was feigning abject depression that he didn't have a guest room anymore, and this afternoon had expressed concern that he’d be stuck sleeping under the boat. Gibbs laughed and joked he could always sleep in his bed. It was Katherine's turn to laugh heartily as he backpedaled, explaining it was because he usually slept on the couch anyway, but the damage was done. He’d never live it down. It was almost scary how well the two of them got along.

Tony had gone a little crazy shopping for the baby already, and had brought over the bags when he came for lunch, which was met with tight lips and tense faces. Both Katherine and Gibbs knew there was always a chance that, in a few weeks or a few months, the baby could be gone, and they'd all go back to their separate lives. Taking it day by day was a lot easier than actively planning the future, because so far every day was a good day. 

Katherine was officially into the second trimester and the nausea was finally letting up, so she had made a lovely meal of Shepherds pie and cheesy bread, knowing full well that the time would likely come when she wouldnt be able to cook. Nate and Gibbs were cleaning up, only goofing off a little, and generally keeping the water contained to the kitchen, so she sat on the couch and closed her eyes. Within a minute, her head had fallen to the side, and a slight snore fell from her lips. Nate laughed, but grabbed the blanket from behind her head to cover her. “I got this...isn't it time for your e-date?” Gibbs asked Nate. The boy blushed, but checked his phone for the time and ran to his room. He'd been Skyping with a young lady he'd meet at soccer camp who was attending the same college in the fall, and he hated being late. Gibbs carefully unfolded the blanket and started to cover his sleeping... sister -in law? Sister? Coparent? Roommate? God, this was sounding all too 'beverly hillbillies’ for him.

She stirred as she felt the blanket on her arms, “hey, what time is it?” She asked. “Almost 9,” he responded. “You fell asleep while we were picking up, I didn't want to wake you.”

She pushed herself up and shook her head. “Just needed a few winks. I'm fine. Did Abby call?” They were supposed to have a date the next night, but Abby hadn't given her a time or a place yet, and Katherine was getting worried she would cancel.

“No, do you want me to..” Gibbs pulled out his phone and shook it, but Katherine shook her head.

 _I need to talk to this girl. She’s gotta pull her head out of her ass._ Gibbs thought. Bad enough that Katherine had put in her notice for a leave of absence and was going to get bored out of her mind very shortly, but she missed Abby, and Gibbs had heard her crying in the bathroom over it on more than one occasion. She hated that her hormones had turned her into a 'simpering sot,’ as she described herself to Ducky, so she usually tried to hide herself away if she was feeling too emotional or vulnerable, but Gibbs knew.

He pushed her feet aside and sat down next to her, faced her, and pulled her into him so she was leaning on his chest. She sighed and settled into his arms. They’d gotten comfortable with each other like this. Katherine faster than Gibbs, because the Fieldings were always a very 'touchy-feely’ family, but even Gibbs had to admit this was nice.

Silence filled the air, and Gibbs almost thought she had fallen back to sleep until he heard her ask, quietly, “Jethro...when are you going to tell him?” His brow knit in confusion. He’d told the team and Vance about the situation, already gotten preapproval for 6 weeks of paid vacation--hopefully for the birth, but it was flexible if anything happened before that. He couldn't think of who else he could have missed.

“Tell who?”

“Tony.”

Now Gibbs was really confused. Tony was there several times a week. He’d bought movie-themed wall decals and mighty mouse stuffed animals. “Huh?”

Katherine turned to face him slightly. “Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you love him. Or at least you're headed that way.” Gibbs stared at her. “What makes you think I may even go that way? We’re friends.”

“Friends who stare at each other's asses? Who lick their lips a hell of a lot more when they're around each other? Whose breathing gets all shallow and fast whenever you touch each other?”

“Like I said, what the hell makes you think…”

“Not think, Jethro, I know. You forget, I was the only person Shannon had to confide in for a while, since Mama and Daddy were being stupid towards you all.”

Gibbs gaped at her. She couldnt know.

“Yes, I do know.” _Damn psychic._ Gibbs thought.

“And what do you think you know?”

“Edgerton. Good looking guy, by the way. I've seen him a few times when I had to interview people at Quantico.”

_No. Shannon didn't._

“She needed to talk, Jethro, don't be upset with her. And I'd just told her I wanted to kiss my best friend, so I'm pretty sure I may have been the only person she could confide in who wouldn't judge you, especially in those times.”

“She needed to talk?...but she told me…”

“Yeah, she said it was ok. She trusted you, she knew you were hers, and no roll in the hay with a guy in training would change that. But it doesn't mean she didn't want to get it out to someone else.”

“There wasnt any hay.”

“Ok, dirt. Whatever you rolled around in. Still, knowing that tiny tidbit, and my own worldview that I see everyone as bisexual until proven otherwise, I can see how much you care. And the feeling is mutual. So why are you not taking that hot young man to bed?”

Gibbs blushed and rolled his eyes. “God, you're the little sister I always knew I never wanted.”

“Yup. Suck it up. You deserve to be happy, Jethro.”

“I am happy,” Gibbs said as he gently placed a hand on Katherine's slightly distended belly.

“HappiER doesn't count. It’s good if thats all you have, but Jesus, he’s right there. What's stopping you?”

Gibbs rubbed small circles on her belly. “This. It’s not fair to him to be dragged into a situation where he'd be seen as an immediate parent. He’d do it, too, but I don't want him feeling like he _has_ to.”

Katherine scoffed. “That's the issue? Tony has been here helping me for weeks, he’s cooing over this baby like the best uncle she or he will ever have, and you're worried he’ll suddenly feel obligated? I love you. I do. But dear god, you're so full of shit.”

Gibbs grumbled and pulled his hand away.

“You're scared. Admit it.” Gibbs wouldn't respond. But something in his eyes told Katherine this was it. She made the decision for him.

“Just do it. I'm calling him.”

Gibbs called her bluff, “ok, fine.” Except she wasn't bluffing. The phone was already ringing, and Tony picked up in seconds.

_“Katherine, is everything ok? Do I need to come over?”_

“Well, Tony, I'm fine. But Jethro wants to talk.”

Gibbs stood up and huffed, storming to the basement.

_“The great mute wants to talk? Haha, it’s not April fool’s”_

“I know, but I'm not kidding. He’s grumpy that I'm pushing, but come over.”

“Did _he tell you anything?”_ Tony’s voice sounded a little higher than usual

“He doesn't have to. I'll be headed to bed, but he’s with the boat.”

 _“Surprise surprise”_ Tony laughed. Then, in a low voice, he said _“Goodnight, my sweet Kate”_

Katherine groaned at the movie reference. “Not even a nice movie, you have to quote some evil murderer? You're losing your touch Tone.”

Tony gasped, _“Never!”_

“Goodnight Tony. And good luck.”

_“Goodnight. And thanks for the call.”_

Katherine touched the 'end call’ button and pulled herself to her feet. It felt good to stretch, she was hoping she'd have another month or maybe even two before the doctors decided her cervix was too weak to hold. A few stitches helped with Nate, and they'd tried the same for Evie, but her sudden labor had torn things unexpectedly, and nobody knew what effect that had had for the future. She slowly made her way to the bathroom for a warm shower. She made sure to turn up her ringer in case Abby called.

Abby smiled at her phone as she dialed. She had called in some favors for tomorrow, and from now on every time she went out with Katherine, she was going to make it count. Nobody knew when she’d be relegated to bed, so it mattered. She had been selfish and dumb for too long.

 


	21. Abby calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby calls to set up their date. And apologize.

Katherine sighed as the hot water eased the tension in her back and neck. Jethro had been dancing around Tony for at least the time she’d known the young man, [young man? She didn't know how old he was specifically, but they were probably around the same age... she just felt old] and it was getting a little irritating, to be honest. Maybe she shouldn't have pushed so hard, but that man was stubborn as a mule. Gently easing into a relationship wasn't his style, apparently, so she went the route of 'tough love.’

 _He spends all his time thinking about what's good for everyone else, but doesn't look out for himself._ She thought. _Maybe it’s high time he realized that maybe he doesn't know what's best for everyone. Let others make their own damn choices, and do what's best for him._

The harsh ringing of her cell phone broke through her thoughts. Abby’s ring. _About damn time_ she thought, as she dried her hand enough to answer the phone and put it on speaker.  _When did I get so grumpy? Jethro is rubbing off._

“Hey babe, I'm in the shower so you're on speaker...gimme a sec to dry off.”

_“OK.”_

No other sounds came from the phone as Katherine did a cursory sweep of her body with the towel, wrapped herself with it, grabbed the phone, and padded back to her room.

“Ok, I'm dry enough that I won't ruin my phone, how are you?”

_“Crappy.”_

The duosyllabic style of conversation was more Jethro-esque, not something Katherine was used to from Abby, but she’d been weird lately anyway, so she just went with it. “What's up? Are you ok?”

_“No. I've been dumb. But Gibbs says apologies are a sign of weakness…”_

“Jethro has his own weaknesses. He could stand to apologize a teensy bit more often. And you're not being dumb.”

 _“Yeah, I've pretty much been dumb. If I'm still in your good graces, can I pick you up at 6 tomorrow? I wanna make it up to you. And talk. You can't be doing much of that hanging out with the Boss man all the time.”_ Abby's nervous chuckle made Katherine smile. Maybe she was coming around.

“You'd be surprised. Apparently I'm quite convincing.”

_“Totally not surprised. Hey, do the jeans still fit?”_

Katherine laughed. She had several pairs of jeans, but she knew which ones Abby was referring to.  “I'll try. Maybe I can get one last use or of them, but they won't look nearly as good as they used to.”

_“Whatever you wear will look great. You're glowing.”_

_Flattery,_ Katherine thought. _Uh oh_. “Ok, now I'm worried. What do you have planned?”

 _“None of your beeswax. You'll find out tomorrow.”_ The line went quiet for a moment.

“Abs, you still there?”

_“Yeah, um... I totally should know this, but again, I've been being dumb, so I have to ask… Do you have any...uh…’restrictions’?”_

Katherine could hear the air quotes around the final word. She blushed. There hasn't been much activity on the sexual side of things for a while. Partly out of fear, and partly due to...well, Abby being dumb. _Not dumb. Hurt, confused, scared._ Abby didn't know how to respond to what had happened, and, yes, she hurt Katherine in the process, but it wasnt dumb.

“My appointment went well two days ago, so...I'm good for whatever you've got planned.”

 _“Ok, awesome!”_ Abby perked up. _“Bring your dancing shoes!”_ Oh. Dancing. Well, then.

“Ok Abs, I will. Thanks.”

_“Don't thank me yet, I just hope this makes up for some things I've missed. And Kat?”_

“Yeah?”

_“I love you.”_

Katherine felt her heart leap to her throat. Abby had said those words a few times, but they'd been during the time when Abby was trying to cajole her into moving into her apartment. After she hadn't budged on that front, Abby’s proclamations had stopped. They didn't feel real then. This time, though…

“I love you too, Abbs. I really do.” She heard a puff of breath from Abby.

_“Thank you. Get some rest mama. I'll see you tomorrow, as long as Gibbs doesn't have my hide.”_

“I'll talk to him. He’s annoyed with me now, but hopefully he’ll be better in the morning. Goodnight dear.”

 _“Night_.”

As she hung up, Katherine wracked her brain trying to figure out what Abby had planned. And her brain kept returning to that question... _do you have any restrictions?_ She made a mental note to bring the elastic tape, just in case...Abby liked that one. She closed her eyes, picturing the tall, lean body stretched out on the bed, hands above her head, legs spread. The black tape around her wrists and ankles matching her hair and collar perfectly. Her hand slid between her still wet thighs and she let her memory fuel her desire. She really hoped Abby had included this in her plans.


	22. Tibbs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, finally, some Tibbs stuff!

Tony opened the front door. The basement door was open, and he heard the shower running upstairs. He paused. _Maybe I shouldn’t have come.,_ he thought. Katherine was the one who invited him, not Gibbs, and maybe it wasn’t a good idea to get inbetween some kind of sibling rivalry stuff.

“Just get down here, DiNozzo.” He heard from the basement. Gibbs didn’t sound pleased, but he wasn’t kicking him out or ignoring him, so, _Eh, what the hell._

As Tony descended the stairs, he didn’t hear the usual signs of sanding, hammers, drills, or the slap of a measuring tape against wood. He didn’t hear a thing. A few steps later, he saw Gibbs, sitting at his work bench, a bottle of bourbon and 2 mason jars by his side. One jar empty, the other half full. _Oh boy…a bourbon kinda night_

“Hey Boss, uh…probably shouldn’t take someone else’s word that you wanted to talk, huh?”

“You’re fine Tony. I never want to talk, but sometimes it can’t be helped.”

Tony sat in his customary spot—third step from the bottom—leaning his elbows on his knees. He didn’t want alcohol if Gibbs was actually planning on talking. Depending on what he had in mind, he either needed to maintain his control and be the sounding board and friend he may need, or he wanted to make sure he was clear headed enough to remember every moment if this was…he shook his head. _Never assume._

Gibbs noticed Tony hadn’t made any movement toward the bourbon, so he put the screws back in the empty jar and put it back in its place. “I’m not good for you.” He started. Tony’s eyes closed, but he remained silent. _We’re going there_. “Tony, you’ve got to be out of your mind to want me. I only got my 3 ex wives because I practically fleeced them into thinking I was better than I am. Once they found out who I was, they left. You’ve known me for 15 years, why the hell would you think I’m good enough for you?”

It wasn’t a statement. Gibbs wasn’t dismissing Tony. He actually wanted to know. Tony slid off the steps and quickly entered Gibbs’s personal space. “Because you are. Your heart is the biggest I’ve ever known. People think I put on masks to hide who I really am? You have just one. Sure, you’ve worn the mask of a bastard for so long that you actually believe it, but you’re always looking out for everyone around you. You tell us to never get personally involved in cases, when you do it all the time. Just because you care so damn much.” Tony could tell Gibbs wanted to pull away, wanted the monologue to stop, that he was uncomfortable hearing what Tony _really_ thought of him, but he didn’t stop.

“I’ve heard plenty of people call me ‘loyal as a St. Bernard’, but that’s nothing compared to you. If someone deserves respect, you’ll give your loyalty without question. You’d take a bullet for someone, just so they can go home to their wife and kids unharmed. You yell and gripe and grumble and smack us because you want us to be the best we can be. Because you care about us. Jethro, THAT’S what I see when I look at you. Not failed marriages, not a crappy conversationalist, not someone living in the past with his first family, I see who you are, deep down. And I love it.” Gibbs had hung his head, looking at the glass in his hands, running his fingers around the edge. Tony gently placed his hand on Gibb’s cheek, feeling the stubble under his palm as his pinky hooked under his jaw and pulled it up, slightly. Gibbs looked up at the slightly taller man before him. Green eyes meeting blue.

“I’ll hurt you. Always do.”

“Same here. What matters is how we deal with it.”

“Tony,” Gibbs turned away and set his glass on the work bench, “Rule 12 isn’t just mine. Coworkers can date, true, but not superiors and subordinates. If Vance found out…”

“I’d need my own team, yes.”

Gibbs felt an irrational anger rise in his chest. “Who’s gonna watch your six? Some probie? We do this, make all these changes, then I lose you because some kid can’t get their gun out of the holster fast enough?” He whirled toward Tony. “I can’t lose you.”

“We can find good agents, Jethro. Ones we can trust. It’ll be a change, and we’d probably see each other less than we do now, but I’d always come home…to you.”

Gibbs brought his hands to his face, rubbing from his forehead to his neck. He’d thought about how this would work, even brought home the papers to look over. "Or…you could take the MCRT.”

Tony stepped back. “What?”

“I’m old, Tony. Not nursing home old, but for what we do? Most guys would have retired by now. McGee has grown a lot since your last stint as team lead.” Tony closed his eyes and bit his lip. That was not a good time, and he hated talking about it. It was Gibbs’s turn to close the distance again and place a hand on Tony’s chest. “He’d have your six. I trust him, Tone. And you’re more than ready. You’ve been ready for years.”

“Jethro, NCIS is your life. You couldn’t even be happy in the sun and tropical beauty of Mexico, what makes you think you won’t want to come back? What makes you think you’ll be happy staying home and doing…whatever you would do? And if you left because of me, you’d resent me eventually…” Tony’s own insecurities started to show.

“Tony, I make boats. Frankly, I make damn good boats. And furniture. I’d keep busy. Plus…if everything goes according to plan, there’ll be a little one here in a few months. Katherine has a lot of years left, and a lot of people she can help. If the little munchkin—“

“Spawn.”  
Gibbs sighed. “Munchkin. Better he’s with his parents than a babysitter. And better his parents are home for him, not getting shot at on a regular basis.”

Tony nodded. It made sense, logically. He pursed his lips and said, in a serious voice, “so…you’d be Mr. Mom?”

“Don’t push it.” Gibbs growled. And Tony laughed. The flash of teeth, the hearty guffaw, the dimple at the corner of his mouth, all pushed Gibbs to act impulsively. He slid his hand from Tony’s chest to the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss. Tony’s hands came up to cradle Gibbs’s face, keeping him from pulling back if he tried. But he didn’t try. Gibbs’s other hand wrapped around Tony’s waist and pulled him closer, flattening his hand across the muscular back. Their lips slid across each other, tongues dancing together, Tony moaned when Gibbs gently nipped his lower lip. Slowly, Gibbs turned their bodies and pushed forward until Tony felt the boat against his back. He relaxed into it and felt his cock get even harder as Gibbs pressed his weight into him. He felt a thigh between his legs, and Gibbs’s own excitement was evident, pressing on his own thigh.

Suddenly, Gibbs stopped. Tony groaned at the loss of those talented lips on his, hoping they would be put to use elsewhere. Instead, he felt a hand on his head. _Seriously? The hand on the head?_ But Gibbs wasn’t pushing him down, wasn’t hinting at wanting more. He started stroking Tony’s hair. Tony opened his eyes and saw Gibbs just looking at him.

“You really are beautiful, Tony, you know that?”

“I bet you say that to all the girls,” Tony joked. But he felt the heat rising across his neck, ears, and face.

Gibbs smiled. “Girls? Sometimes. Guys? Never. Just you.”

“Not sure if I should be flattered…” Tony pretended to think about it, until he felt lips on his jaw, gentle kisses placed along his jawline, inching toward his earlobe, traveling down his throat to the hollow of his collarbone. Kisses interspersed with words…

“beautiful…sexy…gorgeous…kind…loving…loyal…great ass…” Tony giggled at that one. _Oh god…I giggled. How embarrassing._

Until he reached just below where a shirt collar would rest. Then all talking stopped and Tony felt it. He felt Gibbs push against him, felt his body change, almost aggressively, felt the burning, prickling sensation as Gibbs marked him with his mouth.

“Mine.” He growled. Tony rolled his eyes but didn’t move. “Always yours, Jethro.”

“Tony…I play for keeps. If we’re gonna do this, I intend to make it last. I may be a bastard, I may hurt you, piss you off, even push you away, but I never want it to end. If shit happens and we can’t make it work, that’s a bridge we’ll have to cross, but right now…”

“It’s not a fling, Jethro, for me either. I’m not looking for that.”

Gibbs lowered his head to rest on Tony’s chest. It had been so long since someone accepted him like this. Frankly, nobody had. Shannon would have, but he wasn’t like this when he was with her. He wasn’t a bastard. OK, he wasn’t as _much_ of a bastard. Tony’s hands came up to the back of his neck, rubbing slow circles, stroking the short hairs at the nape. After several minutes, Tony whispered to him. “Jethro…my back is killing me…” Gibbs couldn’t help the laughter that tumbled out of him, and Tony joined in. He pulled Tony off the boat and hugged him, hard.

“Tony, I want to do this right. I’m gonna have a kid, I can’t just hop into a relationship and into bed. I want to woo you. My wooing skills may be rusty, but I think I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”

“You realize we’ve been ‘in a relationship’ for 15 years, right? Isn’t that longer than your 3 divorces put together?” Gibbs laughed again and nodded. “Regardless, Jethro, I agree. I know how I feel right now, but I want to fall head over heels in love with you. And I want to see you do the same for me.” Tony stepped closer to Gibbs and his voice became a husky rumble “and when I make you cum, over and over again, I want to know that you’ll be the last person I’ll ever do that for.”

Gibbs closed his eyes as a vast majority of his blood flowed straight to his groin. “You sure know how the way to a man’s…heart” he smirked.

“Cowboy steaks and a blow job. Pretty sure it’ll work for you…every time.” And Tony kissed Gibbs. Not soft and loving this time, but hard, desperate, passionate. Gibbs could feel everything he was in for, and he loved it. Except…

“Tony,” he broke the kiss, breathless, “I should tell you…I didn’t do all that much, before, and it WAS over 25 years ago.”

“Practice makes perfect. And I’m a great teacher.” Gibbs gasped as Tony’s hand stroked his ass through his sweats. He backed away from the hand, knowing he had to do it.

“If we don’t stop now, Tony…”

Tony raised his hands in mock surrender (leaning his hips forward just enough to accentuate the large bulge in his pants) “No means no, got it Boss.”

“I’m only ‘Boss’ at work…or certain situations in bed, if you want” and he winked, “but at home, call me Jethro. Please.”

Tony reached forward and stroked his face one last time. “Alright Jethro. But you’re right about one thing. If I don’t leave now, the temptation to drag you into bed will be too much to overcome. I’m going to head home and take a cold shower. See you at work tomorrow. We don’t have to tell anyone yet, at least until we figure out what we’re going to do about Rule 12. But soon…” His face showed a brief flash of concern. _Does he want to hide this?_

“No hiding, Tone. Once we figure it out, we can tell people as soon as you’re ready. I’m too damn old to care what anyone thinks anyway.”

Tony kissed Gibbs quickly, a chaste brushing of the lips, and backed toward the stairs. “’Til tomorrow, then.”

“See ya Tony.” And he enjoyed the view as Tony bounded up the stairs. He did enjoy watching Tony’s ass. His ass, now. A smile crossed his face, and he flopped onto the seat by his workbench in relief, the adrenaline rushing out of his body.

Maybe he _didn’t_ have to make do with “happiER”. Maybe he could actually be…happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plenty of folks have written some great Tibbs beginning stories... I hope this does them justice :)


	23. Abby redeemed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby takes Katherine out on a special date

Abby pulled up in front of the beautifully maintained craftsman house. She straightened her shirt and ran her fingers through her hair as she walked to the door. Normally, she’d walk right in, but she wanted to start over. And Gibbs was the one who left his door unlocked, expecting company at any time…Katherine wasn’t like that. So she knocked. Almost immediately Gibbs was at the door. She lowered her head, knowing he was still not particularly happy with her attitude the past few weeks, but at least they talked today. She’d dragged him into his “office” and told him she was going to make it up to Katherine. “Actions speak louder than words, Abs,” was all he’d said. She had bit her tongue, accepted the hand to the back of her head, and vowed to “get her head on straight.” Now here she was, ready to do just that. “Hey Bossman, uh…can I come in?”   
  
“Door’s always open, Abs,” Gibbs said as he held the door and she slid past.   
  
Katherine came down the stairs…she was wearing a billowy blue shirt that came down almost to her thighs, and jeans.  _ The _ jeans. Abby grinned and ran to hug her, planting a kiss on her lips. “They still look damn perfect to me.” She said, smirking until Katherine leaned in and whispered “Except I couldn’t button the top.” They both broke out into laughter, and Gibbs smiled in relief. His protective nature had been satisfied and he left the two and headed for the backyard.   
  
“So, where are we off to? And no pigtails?” Katherine was genuinely shocked at Abby’s appearance. She hadn’t been so conservative (some would say ‘normal,’ but Katherine knew there’s no such thing as ‘normal’ in this world) since they met. Her hair was pulled up on top, in a loose knot, with the rest hanging around her shoulders. She still wore a collar, but plain without the spikes. She had a v-neck shirt, torn jeans, and shiny patent boots with skull laces. Still Abby, just…toned down. Katherine wasn’t sure how she felt about it, since Abby always told her she hated others trying to tell her to dress “normally” or act her age. She didn’t want Abby to change for her.

“Yeah. Don't get used to it,” she smirked. “I just...oh, you'll see. Ready to go?” Abby crooked her elbow, holding it out for Katherine. She laughed and linked arms with her date, leaning into her and kissing her cheek.

As the pair walked to Abby's car, Gibbs glanced out the side window.  _ Good girl _ he thought, as he sipped his evening coffee. Today had been hard, watching Tony, not being able to say anything to him about last night. He was coming over tonight...bringing some movie to watch that Gibbs had never heard of, and Gibbs was making dinner. Cowboy steaks and beer.  _ Sounds good to me. _

Abby pulled up in front of the bar and handed her keys to a young lady, who got in and pulled away. “I didn't know the Place had valet parking,” Katherine said. “Not usually, but they've got an event tonight. I got us in.”

Katherine was impressed with Abby’s composure. Usually she got so excited over even the little things that keeping a secret was a near impossibility. Depending on the secret, of course--there were always things she would never tell. Katherine ignored the occasional wiggle of Abby's back as her plans, apparently, were working out. What plans, she didn't know, since all they were doing was heading down to the end of the bar where they first met. It was sweet. Abby, in “street clothes,” having a date where they first met…

“Hey Abby-Cadaby!” The large woman behind the bar bellowed in their direction. “Two drinks comin’ up.” Katherine raised her hand to belay that and ask for a water, but Abby pulled it down. “I got this.”

Within seconds, Chelsea brought over 2 fruity-looking drinks. They resembled a tequila sunrise. “Sweet cheeks, you owe me for this...who knew this crap would be so expensive!”

Katherine looked confused. “Specialty mixers,” Abby explained. “Now chels can make almost any drink you;d want...but without the alcohol.”

“Totally safe for those of y’all drinking for 2” Chelsea piped in as she left the women to their drinks.

“Abby, a water would have been fine. You didn't have to do all this.”

“Actually,  _ this _ ,” Abby swirled her hands around the drinks, “was Chelsea’s idea. Said it wasn't too often a pair of her patrons come in after being unexpectedly knocked up.”

The bartender must have overhead Abby, and she looked right at them, held up her hand and wiggled two fingers. Abby rolled her eyes. “What’s this, Abby?” Katherine repeated the motion. Abby blushed and laughed a little. “When I mentioned you were pregnant, she asked if I had 'magic fingers’...cuz...um…”

Katherine burst into laughter. “I get it, ok. So, you said there’s something special going on tonight, who’s playing?” Katherine gestured toward the stage where a band was just finishing their set up. “Oh, well, they don't start for half an hour. Let's get some snacks first,”

Abby and Katherine were laughing and having a great time. No talk about what had happened, no talk about the future, just two people having a good time. At some point there was a throwing of French fries [Abby noticed that Katherine's cleavage was more ample than before, and proceeded to use it for target practice] which drew disapproving looks from the bartender. The 30 minutes passed much faster than Katherine anticipated, and Katherine was laughing so much she didn't notice the tuning of guitars and the testing of microphones. Just as she was ‘complaining’ about how much her face actually ached from all the laughing, she heard the song.

_ The first time I saw your face _ _   
_ _ I knew I was meant for you _ _   
_ _ The first time you said my name _ _   
_ __ I knew I was meant for you

If it were physically possible, her jaw would have hit the bar. Abby’s hand covered hers, and she smiled. “Care to dance?”

_ Love, they say it heals all wounds _ _   
_ _ Love, removes the hurt in you _ _   
_ _ Love, I know that this is true _ _   
_ _ Love, they say that it is blind _ _   
_ _ Love, they say it all the time _ _   
_ __ Love, I know that they are right

Katherine couldn't move. This was her favorite artist. Of they were scheduled to be in town, she would have known. “How?”

“I get to make a lot of friends in my line of work. They're doing a show in Atlanta tomorrow, so Chelsea and the owner and I worked it out for them to stop here. It'll get real crowded soon, we better get to the dance floor.” Abby pulled her to a standing position and Katherine nearly swooned as Tegan waved to them. She followed Abby to the dance floor and the pair began dancing. Close, but not wantonly, they spent the whole song running hands across each other's bodies --faces, arms, backs, hips.

_ You don't need to wonder _ _   
_ _ If love will make us stronger _ _   
_ _ There's nothing love can't do _ _   
_ _   
_ _ You don't need to worry _ _   
_ _ This love will make us worthy _ _   
_ __ There's nothing love can't do

By the time the song ended, Katherine’s face was streaked with tears, and Abby was doing her best to kiss them away. “I'm sorry I was so selfish. I never meant to hurt you. I'll do better, you have my word.” Abby kept apologizing, kept promising, kept kissing, in the hopes that Katherine would be able to believe her.

Finally, Katherine pulled away from Abby and brought a hand to brush her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “I know. Abby, I know,” she whispered. “I trusted that you'd figure it out, even when I was scared it would take forever. And this kind of gesture wasn't necessary...but it’s amazing. I don’t know how or when you did it, but I love it.”

Abby beamed and wrapped Katherine in a hug, which quickly turned into the signature Abby Scuito 'wiggle hug.’ Katherine leaned her head on Abby’s shoulder, then looked up at her lovingly and said “this is great, but I really gotta pee.” Abby laughed and they walked quickly to the bathrooms. When Katherine was done, they returned to their seats at the bar, the current song playing was too fast and loud to allow any conversation.

_ I could see you ten or twelve times a day _ _   
_ _ I think it's best we do it your therapist's way _ _   
_ _ I grow my hair long and wear big coats, yeah _ _   
_ _ I get so lovesick my sad thoughts float _ _   
_ __ The time you've got me running

Even though she was having a great time, Katherine asked Abby if they could cut out early. Abby quickly grabbed the 3 CDs she had asked Gibbs to get for her from Katherine’s room, gotten them signed between songs, got a picture of Katherine getting kissed on both cheeks by the two singers, and they left the bar.

“I hope you had a good time,” Abby started. “Nothing like our first concert together.” Katherine paused, a little concerned. “Abby, I loved both dates. I hope you don't feel like you should change for me…” she reached up and stroked Abby’s smooth black hair.

“Oh, no, don't worry about that. Nobody can make me normal,” Abby grinned. “But I realized I'd never really taken you on a date that was all about you. Where we met, a fruity cocktail, your favorite singers, and even a slightly more conservative girlfriend for the evening. I wanted YOU to be the center of attention.” Katherine's chest tightened and she pulled Abby into a deep kiss. Abby stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and wrapped her arms around her lover’s waist, slowly stepping so they were at least out of the main path past the bar. When Katherine felt her back hit the brick wall, she moaned slightly into Abby's mouth. Abby closed her eyes and leaned onto Katherine more, letting her lover feel her weight for just a few seconds before Katherine pushed her back.

“Your place. Now.”

Abby grabbed her hand and dragged her to the curb to hail a cab. The ride to Abby’s was silent, with Abby trying not to squirm after Katherine whispered in her ear “I have a surprise for you...but only if you stay still” and made quick work of the button and zipper of Abby’s jeans. As her hand slid into Abby’s pants, she continued “and quiet.”

When the door to Abby's place swung open, Katherine was too busy kissing and didn't even notice when Abby pulled her to her bedroom. As the light flicked on, she grinned, “still can't bribe me to do this in the coffin,” she said. Abby kissed her and spun her around to see the room. Gone was the coffin, the skull candles, the black light bulbs and the band posters. In its place was a  Victorian style 4-poster queen bed with a velvet canopy, and wrought iron sconces. She froze in awe. It was still dark and gothic, but beautiful. Abby’s hands snaked around her body and her lips brushed against Katherine's neck. “I couldn't stand not having you in my bed. So I got a new bed.”

Katherine kept looking at the posts. She slowly reached into her purse and pulled out the compressed roll of black latex tape and held it in Abby’s line of sight. Abby groaned and tightened her grip on Katherine. “Are you sure you can…” Katherine spun and caught Abby’s hands in one of hers. “I'm certain. Now let’s break in that bed.” She pushed Abby onto the bed and pulled her jeans off in one tug. They both were nude in record time, and Katherine straddled Abby’s hips. She pulled one hand up and wrapped the tape around Abby’s wrist and the post.

As she grabbed the other one, Abby whispered, “wait…” Katherine released her hand as it traveled to the bulge just below her belly button. “Everything will be fine, Abs. Right now, I just want  _ you. _ If it wasn't fine, I'd tell you, I promise,” Katherine took Abby's hand in her own again, pausing for a moment until they made eye contact again. Abby's expression went from one of concern to one of need, and Katherine took that as a sign to continue her previous efforts. She quickly taped Abby’s wrist to the opposite bedpost and then leaned in to kiss her. “Close your eyes” she ordered, and Abby shuddered. As Katherine's mouth traveled over the skin she had missed for weeks, she heard what sounded like a monkey yelling into a microphone.

“Shit.” Abby tightened her lips. “Not again.”

Katherine sat up. “That’s not...” Abby nodded. “That pain in the…” she picked up Abby's phone and read the caller ID.  _ Bossman. _

“Leroy Jethro Gibbs, i swear to God you're going to be the death of me.” She growled into the phone.

_ “Yeah yeah. Just tell Abbs to get her butt to the lab. Two assaulted Petty Officers, we got tests to run.” _

*Click*

“Sorry…” Abby looked devastated. Hot as fuck, restrained and naked on such luxurious bedding,black satin sheets  against her pale skin, but devastated. Katherine unwrapped and re-rolled the latex and left it in the nightstand drawer for later use. Smiling as she found several of the other gifts she’d gotten in the previous few months.

“You can crash here if you want...maybe I'll be back soon?” Abby said as she dressed as quickly as possible.

Katherine shook her head and smiled. “I'll stay here, but I am fairly certain I won't see you 'soon.’ Wake me up if you get home tonight, promise?”

“Promise.” Abby smiled as she left. Finally, for the first time, Katherine was sleeping in her bed instead of on the stupid pullout Maybe she wasn't moving in, but on the nights they were together, she deserved to be pampered a little. Plus, Abby had to admit, it was a lot more comfortable than the coffin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The artist referenced are Tegan and Sara. :)


	24. Cowboy steaks and flashback 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony asks for more details about Gibbs's prior experience.

Gibbs tossed the steaks on the grate as Tony was animatedly describing the movies he’d brought. It was their first “date,” even though they’d had plenty of similar evenings sitting on the couch with steak and beer. Tony joked that he didn’t think he was a “Netflix and chill” kind of guy, then laughed when Gibbs didn’t get it.

  
“Tony, just pick one” he grumbled. _That sounded harsh…this is supposed to be a date_ …Gibbs didn’t retract his statement, but he eyed Tony’s reaction carefully. Thankfully, he snickered and replied “awesome wooing, Jethro,” and winked. Gibbs rewarded him with a gentle tap to the back of the head.

  
“Yeah, I said I was rusty. Just pick something, I’m sure I’ll like it.”

  
“OK, let’s do Clint Eastwood. He kinda reminds me of you in this one. Except you’re better lookin’” Tony waggled his eyebrows. It was so nice to be able to joke like this. He’d been able to do it with Kate, Ziva, McGee, Abby, even Bishop from time to time, but his boss was always off limits. Partly because he’d assumed he would be disgusted, and partly because with the others there wasn’t that urge to _actually_ flirt with them. He handed Gibbs the DVD and went to the kitchen to grab the beers. When he returned, the DVD was on the table next to his computer.

  
“Changed your mind?” he asked Gibbs  
“Nope, just figured we’d eat first.” Gibbs responded. He looked a little suspicious, so Tony pushed…”You couldn’t figure it out, could you?” Gibbs grunted, and Tony burst into laughter, kissing him. Just that one little kiss sent shocks through both of their systems, and they deepened it until they were both breathless. “Gonna take some getting used to…you know, kissing you,” Tony confessed. Gibbs just nodded, not breaking eye contact. Until they heard the sizzle of juice into the fire and remembered the steaks. Gibbs stood to get the plates and told Tony “but I did mean it. Let’s have a real dinner first, before a movie. You’ll just get into your movie zone and end up having your date with Clint instead of me.” Tony thought about it. He couldn’t even laugh, because it was fairly accurate. “Deal.”

At first, there was awkward silence. They’ve known each other for 15 years, and suddenly having butterflies over being on a date was unexpected. Tony spoke before he really thought about what he was saying, but he broke the silence with “So…that, uh, FBI guy from Quantico? You said you didn’t do ‘much’…what…” _Smooth, DiNozzo. Criticize HIS wooing skills_? Tony made a mental note to give himself a firm headslap when he got the chance.

Gibbs spun his fork awkwardly and chewed his steak slowly. “How much detail you want?”

Tony blushed… _Oh, now that’s a dangerous question…be diplomatic, DiNozzo…_ “Whatever you’re willing to share.”

“Well, we’d been training together for 6 weeks. Only had 2 left. He was spotting and I made a 1200 yard shot in shit conditions, and instead of pulling me up for a high five, we did a tumble and…well, he’s a damn good kisser.”

Tony pouted, “better than me?”

Gibbs smirked “no way,” and leaned in and stole one of those kisses. He kept it clean, though, praising himself for his control. He didn’t know how long it would last, but he was OK for now.

Tony wasn’t satisfied there, though. “Is that it? I mean, you made it sound like more than a couple of kids necking…”

Gibbs sighed. He remembered.

******

“Shan, I’m so sorry…I didn’t even think…he just…I didn’t even know that I would like something like that…I wasn’t prepared…” Leroy was pleading to his young wife, home with their preschool daughter. She was silent on the other end of the line. He didn’t know what else to say, so he just stopped talking. He waited for her to talk. It took another 2 full minutes.

“Does he mean anything to you?” She asked. Very, very quietly.

“No. He’s the best damn sniper here, Shan, and I’m lucky to be working with him, but that’s it. It was just…in the moment, I wasn’t expecting to get…you know…” Shannon could probably feel his blush through the phone lines. Another extremely long pause.

“Did you tell him you’re married?”

“Yes, yes, absolutely. Within seconds. He backed off, Shan, he didn’t know. I can’t risk my ring in the field, so he didn’t know”

“Lee…” _she kept pausing!_ Every time she did, his stomach turned in knot after knot. “I need you to be totally honest with me, ok?” He nodded. “OK?” _Shit, phone, no nodding._ “Yes,” he croaked.

“Lee, if I weren’t here, would you have wanted more? From him?”

Leroy felt his blood drain from his face, and his hands were wet from the cold sweat gathered in his palms. “What?”

“Baby, I need to know…”

“Shan, I love you more than life itself. I am yours, heart, soul and body. This stupid stunt doesn’t mean I want you any less.”

“That wasn’t my question.” She sounded angry now. _Finally_. She’d been too calm about this whole thing.

Leroy sighed. Before he could think about his answer, he blurted it out. “Yes.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, I would have wanted more. I did want more, but I would never ever betray you like that.”

Leroy instantly feared this was exactly the WRONG thing to say. Like when a woman asks “does this make my ass look fat?” the ONLY correct answer, no matter what the clothing choice may be, is “no, hon, it’s beautiful. I love your ass.” Or some variation thereof. Shannon put the phone down, Leroy heard the sight thunk. He waited. It was only fair. Finally, her voice returned.

“You…” she took a shaky breath, and then, so quietly that Leroy strained to hear, “You have my permission.”

“Permission? For what?” Leroy was confused.

Shannon seemed to gain some of her voice back and she tried to explain. “Lee, I know you’re mine. I know how much you love us. But, if this is something you’re going to keep wondering about, then I want you to get it out of your system if you want. He likes you, you like him…if it’s something you want, then you have my permission to…” she inhaled sharply.

“I could never hurt you like that, Shan. Ever.”

“Lee, it would hurt worse if you kept it inside and stewed on it for years. Especially if it affected us later. At least now I know about it. Just…be safe. Please.” A cry broke in the background of the call. “Kelly’s up, I gotta go. But Lee? I love you. Nothing is gonna change that."

“Same here baby girl.” God he missed her.  
She then whispered, quickly, "plus...it's kinda hot. I'll deny ever saying it, but...you might have to give me details."

Leroy's mouth hing open. Definitely not the reaction he expected. As he regained some of his composure, he heard Kelly cry again. “Love you,” they both said at the same time, then giggled as they hung up.

 _Permission? Be safe? Details_?! His wife. His beautiful wife. Just told him to sleep with someone else. Leroy’s mind was reeling. Was this some kind of test? If he did it, would she just leave him and take Kelly and divorce him for perversion? He didn’t have any issues with men being with men, but lots of people did. But no, she wasn’t like that. She was kind and loving and never lied to him. Not about anything big, anyway (he KNEW she was mixing ground turkey into his burgers…he just hadn’t caught her yet). Did he even want to?

 _I know…I’ll go through it in my mind…what could have happened…if it’s too fucking weird to think about, then that’s my answer_ he thought. He went back to his bunk, grateful Ian wasn’t on the top bunk waiting.

Lying down, Leroy rolled into his stomach, closing his eyes and picturing that moment on top of the hill. The moment Ian had rolled on top of him and he'd felt the push of the other man's cock through his pants. His breathing came faster as he thought about their tongues brushing against each other, bodies pressing together. Then, memory turned to fantasy as he pictured his bunkmate toying with his belt, reaching between his legs, stroking him. Leroy exhaled, hard, and thrust his face into the pillow. Shit. He was hard. Really fucking hard. He had to fight the childish desire to hump his damn mattress, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, man, how'd it go? You ok?" Ian. He had mistaken Leroy's flushed face and exasperation for anger or sadness, not lust. Leroy was ok with that. "Yeah, it's all good, man." Thank goodness he was still lying on his stomach.

With that, the two men retired to bed. 0500 comes quick. Except they didn't make it that far.

"Leroy...jesus. wake up!" Ian was shaking him and whispering through gritted teeth. Leroy sat up, fists clenched ready to strike, but Ian grabbed his wrists. "Woah marine, just watching your six." Gibbs blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked confused.

"The hell, man?" He asked.

"I'll tell you later, just... Try to stop talking in your sleep, alright?" He climbed back into his bunk and Leroy could tell he wasn't sleeping. With a whole row of snipers in the room, though, he didn't dare ask what was going on. _Ask later_ he told himself. They had some time to kill this afternoon, so he tried to get just one more hour of shut eye before they were forced out of bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This flashback is not coming out right. I figured I would cut it at a decent breaking point and work on it from there, this way I have less to work with!


	25. Tibbs date 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened between Ian and Gibbs? And the boys watch a movie

Tony was hanging on Gibbs’s every word, his steak all but forgotten.

“Don’t waste that ribeye, DiNozzo,” Gibbs said, as he paused his reminiscing to steal a small piece of the perfectly charred steak in front of Tony.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,  _ Boss, _ ” Tony said as he tapped the offending hand away from his plate. “Just enjoying the mental images that come with this story. Do continue.” He shifted position to accommodate the tightening of his pants at the thought of a younger Gibbs lusting after the also-very-handsome FBI agent he had met in passing before.

****

“OK, are you gonna tell me what the hell I said this morning, or are you gonna ignore me all damn day? If you won’t talk to me, how the fuck can we spot each other?” Leroy growled at Ian as he paced behind the smaller man aligning his scope.

“Just drop it.”

“No, you were freaked. I obviously said something to piss you off.” Leroy sat on the dusty ground, systematically gathering his things to help Ian with his shot.

Ian sighed. He let his rifle rest on its tripod and looked over his shoulder. “What did your wife say to you?” He asked, sounding irritated.

Leroy panicked. Inside. Outside, he kept a calm face as he chose his answer carefully. “She said she understood. She’s not pissed. She’s actually OK with…”  _ am I actually saying this? _

“With what, marine?” Leroy pulled out his binoculars and scanned the area. They were all separated by a good distance, he could see some of the other teams to their flank, but if they were to come down off the ridge just a bit…

Ian looked closer and noticed the rapid pulse throbbing in Leroy’s throat, the pupils wide with desire, and he knew it was coming just a fraction of a second before Leroy’s body tumbled into his, pushing them both flat to the ground. Both men fought for dominance, combining their hand to hand training with the need coursing through their veins. Leroy had more tactical training than Ian, but Ian was an expert in Jiu-Jitsu, and the two were fairly evenly matched. Until Leroy felt a hand in his pants, palming his groin. His adrenaline pumping, it was like a shock wave through his whole body, and he froze under Ian. “Fuck!”

“Is that what you want, marine?” Ian’s voice was breathy and deep, almost menacing.

“Yes.” Leroy arched his back and pushed himself harder against the fingers deliciously rubbing across his balls and cock. Taking a steadying breath, he noticed Ian was starting to lose control as well, and he took advantage. He flipped them both, Ian’s one hand still in his pants, and the other in Leroy’s steel grip, high above his head. “But what do  _ you _ want?” He felt Ian shudder and tighten his grasp on the shaft of his cock. He fought the urge to moan and waited for the response.

“Fuck me, marine,” came the reply. Leroy let his head drop and he paced his breathing, reminding himself he wasn’t a 15 year old virgin threatening to shoot his load into his pants. “I can’t. I want to, but I don’t think I could. God forgive me if this is a trap,” he said into Ian’s chest, “but I want to feel you. I want to feel this,” Leroy ran his tongue across the lips beneath him, “around my cock.”

“Only if you watch. And I get something too.”

“Not gotta lie back and pretend you’re a woman, eagle eye.”

“Good answer,” Ian said, and he yanked Leroy’s belt from the loops and opened his fly. Ian’s hand then traveled from inside Leroy’s pants and roughly pushed inside his shirt, squeezing the taut muscles, pulling Leroy back onto him until he could feel every twitch of desire from his thighs, groin, stomach, and chest, and Leroy slid back into a kiss. Ian was pretty sure he left bruises, but nobody was complaining. Ian moaned into Leroy’s open mouth, and he felt him pull back.

“Damn,” Ian exclaimed, “for a guy who was so freaked out the other day, you’ve done one hell of a 180.”

“Now you gonna tell me why you shook the hell out of me this morning?” Leroy asked.

“In case you didn’t notice a wet spot in your shorts, you were,” Ian made a jerking motion with his hand, “and mumbling my name. I’m flattered, but not exactly the kind of thing we’d need to advertise, especially when ya turned me down. Speaking of…you sure about this?”

“No. But if I don’t, I’ll always wonder.”

“Wife said that?”

“Yup.”

“Might be right. Had one guy call me a year after he kicked me in the nuts for looking at him ‘like a queer’ to apologize and wanted to hook up. His wife left him cuz he couldn’t stop obsessing over why he got a hard on. Told him to take a hike. But you’ve come this far, pretty fair to say you want it, is that all you needed? Cuz I’m not busting up a marriage for a piece of ass. Even one as hot as yours.”

He had Shannon. He loved Shannon. But Shannon was actually  _ encouraging _ this. Before Leroy could overthink the action, he pushed his hand past the waistband of Ian’s pants and brushed the head of his cock. His hand was shaking.

“Just do what you would like, you’ll figure it—aaahhhhh” Ian moaned as Leroy’s grasp went from tentative to snug, giving him slow, even strokes. Before he could get too far, though, Ian pushed up and sat Leroy’s back against a tree. “You’re gonna sit here and watch me, understand?” Leroy nodded and let his head fall back as he felt Ian pull his shirt out of his pants.

He lifted his hips and felt the fabric lower just enough to free his cock and he instantly gasped as he felt the wet heat of his bunkmate’s mouth surround him. He involuntarily thrust into the pleasure, only to feel a hand on his hip, preventing him from moving. So much stronger than any woman he’d been with, he loved not having to worry about holding back—if Ian didn’t want him to move, he’d just pin him down and keep him from moving, no matter how hard Leroy squirmed. And then he felt the rush of air on his skin as Ian released him.

“I  _ said _ watch me.” Leroy’s eyes flew open and met the dark, almond shaped eyes staring at him. He watched as he took every inch into his mouth, biting his lip and moaning as he felt the back of Ian’s throat. “Shiiiit” he hissed, and knew it wouldn’t take long at all for him to cum. As much as his body was hurdling toward the point of no return, and part of him was justifying it, he felt his hands work their way to cup Ian’s face. He closed his eyes and involuntarily groaned at the loss of that insanely talented mouth, as Ian took the cue and crawled on top of him.

“Scared of liking it, or guilty for doing it?” He wasn’t smirking anymore.

“What?”

“Which is it? Twice you’ve stopped me. First time I get, that was on me. This time? You made your choice, knowing what you were getting into, you want it, but you stopped me again. So which is it?”

“Guilty. I know I’ll like it, that’s not an issue.” Leroy wasn’t going to apologize for loving his wife more than his desire to try something new.

“She said it was fine, you know.” Ian wasn’t trying to convince him to continue, he was just stating a fact.

“Yeah, but I vowed to honor her…can’t do that with my dick in someone else. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“But I don’t think she’d mind if I…” Leroy again reached into the loosened pants in front of him and grasped Ian’s softening cock. Ian thought about telling him to shove it, A) because he was irritated at this guy’s inability to make a decision, and B) because he wondered if he’d feel guilty about it later when he thought about his wife, but… _ Eh, screw it. A hand job is a hand job. _ Within seconds of relaxing into the nervous man’s hands, Ian grew back to his original state. An impressive length, but thinner than Leroy’s, with the flexibility of an intact foreskin, Leroy was pleased to discover how easy it was to stroke him. Soon, the pants got in the way, and the two men swapped positions. Leroy’s pants returned to his waist, and Ian’s low on his hips. Ian folded his hands behind his head and relaxed, letting the other man do all the work. Leroy smiled at the sight of this lean, dark, beautiful, but deadly man breathing heavily in pleasure from just his hands.

He tried a few different things, different angles, pressures, length of strokes, but when his second hand cupped Ian’s balls and pressed on the sweet spot behind them, he arched his back. “Fuck yes” Ian snarled. Leroy stroked harder while massaging his balls and taint, and Ian lost his composure. He grabbed the ground, grasping for something to hold onto and squirmed, almost whimpering as his orgasm approached. Leroy felt his balls tighten and pull closer to his body as his muscles contracted, and he pushed, hard, on that sweet spot. A stream of expletives, some clearly not English, sprayed from Ian’s mouth as he came, hips rising into the air. Leroy took several deep breaths to calm the raging hard on in his pants, and then used a towel from his pack to clean up the limp man beneath him. Tentatively, he held his hand to his lips and met Ian’s eyes. It took a second, but Ian realized what he was ‘asking.’ “Haven’t been with anyone in a long time, I’m good.” And Leroy tasted the milky liquid on his hand. Not too far off from the women he’d been with.  _ Interesting _ . He used the towel for the rest, and checked his watch.  _ Shit _ . They were supposed to be heading back to mess soon, and they hadn’t taken their shots. “You go,” he told Ian. “I’ll just say I got dirt in my eyes or some shit.”

Ian nodded and scrambled out from under Leroy, quickly finishing his settings. For the first time in over a month, his shot went wide. He got harassed for it at mess, but he took it in stride.

*****

Gibbs finished the story, with less detail than Tony wanted, judging by his occasional prodding and waving of hands, just as the pair had finished their steaks and beer. He stood and started to carry his plate to the kitchen and noticed DiNozzo wasn’t following. “You need a written invite? I’m no maid here.” Tony shifted in his chair. “Just…uh…need a sec.” He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. Gibbs laughed, strode back into the room, set his plate down and pulled Tony to his feet, noting the source of his discomfort—as he expected. He’d noticed Tony’s pants tonight were  tighter than his normal pairs, and after describing his one foray into male-male relations, the pants probably were actually hurting him. Tony winced and tried to adjust, but Gibbs matter-of-factly unbuttoned and unzipped the offending jeans. “Not really practical, Tony,” He said, as he grabbed his plate and turned back toward the kitchen. Tony was red-faced and shocked, but physically relieved. Sure, it was embarrassing to be walking around with his pants wide open, especially since he'd skipped the underwear, but at least it didn’t hurt anymore. He grabbed his plate and trotted toward the kitchen, making sure the pants didn’t fall in the process.

“So, to clarify,” Tony began, “You spent the entire meal talking—which is unheard of—just to tell me that you  _ almost _ got a blow job from, and you’ve given a hand job to, one guy?”

“yup.”

“So…” Tony’s smirk remained, and as he started to open his mouth, he saw Gibbs prepare a headslap. He changed directions and asked, “uh, just Let it go?”

Gibbs smiled, “ya think?” and tapped his forehead

The pair walked back to the couch, Tony a few steps behind Gibbs, letting himself admire the view, then catching up and wrapping Gibbs in an embrace from behind. Gibbs flinched and almost,  _ almost _ tossed him to the ground, but caught himself. Tony realized his mistake, but held tight. “Shoulda warned you. Thanks for not killing me.” Gibbs snorted and put one hand on top of Tony’s. “Gotta work on that. I’m not used to all the touching.”

Tony’s hands flattened across the flat stomach and muscular chest of the man in his arms. “You’ll get used to it. I like to touch.”

“Obviously.”

Tony’s hands slid under Gibbs’s shirt and pulled it over his head, then he quickly repeated the process on himself. “Watch the movie like this?” He asked Gibbs. He nodded, and Tony quickly hopped onto the couch, sprawling across the length.

“Um, what, I gotta sit on you?”

“Well, that's one way to spend the evening, ” Tony winked. He scooted, though, to a seated position, his long legs still spread on the couch, back leaning on the arm rest. Gibbs waved and tapped his knee, but Tony just opened his arms and dropped one leg to the floor.

“I _will_ sit on you.”

“Eventually.”

“You asked for it,” and Gibbs proceeded to aim directly for Tony’s lap. Tony maneuvered at just the right moment and was able to collect Gibbs in his arms, sitting between his legs and leaning onto his chest. Skin to skin. He flung his outer leg back onto the couch, making Gibbs feel a bit claustrophobic. He gave in, though, and as Tony started the movie, he scooted down just enough that his head was resting on Tony's chest, and Tony's hands slowly stroked his stomach and sides.

To Tony's credit, he wasn't totally focused on the movie. His stroking didn't stop, and was really starting to make things difficult for Gibbs. Just as he unbuttoned his pants to give Tony better access to his goal, his phone rang.

“Gibbs.” He barked, loudly. He listened for a minute and hung up.

“Assault at a bar downtown. Two petty officers. This is me calling my team. I got Abby, you call the rest.”

“Uh-Ooooh, they're on a date, aren't they?”

“Yeah, and I don't need them mad at you if you call them.”

“Thanks Boss.”

“Put your clothes on, we’ll ride together in 5.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your great comments! I'm not done with Ian and Gibbs, but it'll be several chapter before we see them together again.


	26. 2 Petty officers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can they all stay focused on the case?  
> Trigger warning: non-graphic discussion of rape

Tony climbed out of the car, still a little wobbly from Gibbs's driving, and straightened his shirt. He had wanted to go home and change, but Gibbs declined, and for some reason his extra pair of jeans was not in his go bag. The shirt and NCIS jacket covered enough of his ass, though, that he hoped nobody would notice. Or ask him to look at something on the ground.

"Hot date Tony?" McGee asked as he strode toward he younger agent who had arrived just seconds after him.

"Well, of course. It IS supposed to be the weekend. I'm all broken up about this."

"I'm sure your date is too," Gibbs said as he came up behind the pair. He raised his hand and tapped both of them on the head "now get to work." If Tony's 'punishment' was more like a caress, neither said anything. 

Once they were sure Gibbs was far enough away, McGee said "Gibbs didn't seem too thrilled either...think he went out?"

"Nah," Tony responded, "probably just interrupted some quality couch time." He shouldn't have said it. Shouldn't have thought about having Jethro half naked between his legs, his hands memorizing every line of muscle, every hair on his chest... _Shit...go down go down go down...Mcgee kissing Ducky's mother... Jackson dancing naked in the rain..._

McGee didn't seem to notice Tony's momentary 'issue' so the pair followed Gibbs toward the flashing lights of the local PD and an ambulance.

"Finally" Gibbs growled under his breath, "This is Special Agent Timothy McGee, he will take your statement." Gibbs spoke to the girl sitting on the bumper of the ambulance. She was covered in mud and had a few cuts and bruising, but her physical health seemed to be alright. McGee helped her stand and took her to a bench not too far away. Tony turned to Gibbs, who was all business.

"Roy Henderson, 24, on a date with his girlfriend Larissa Michaels. They left the restaurant three blocks away at 0930 and walked to the club. They came outside for a cigarette and were assaulted. Three assailants, two held Roy while they took turns raping Larissa, then one held Larissa while they did the same to Roy. Except Roy was beaten, badly. He's en route to Bethesda now, you and Bishop go. Update me on his status. 

"Got it Boss. Bishop, I'm driving" Gibbs watched as Tony strode to the car, keys in hand, back in work mode. He was good. He'd been ready for years. The sudden retirement a few years ago wasn't a good thing, but his whole team had grown since then. Including himself.  _Maybe it's time to talk to Vance._

_*****_

Back in the bullpen, McGee had sketches of 2 of the assailants, the third was more careful to hide his face, trying facial recognition software with Abby. Bishop was trying to figure out a connection between the crime and something the third assailant had said ["there's always a man left behind...but some will never forget the 15th"]. Tony was working on the vehicles reported at the scene and traffic cams. Gibbs smiled and stood up.

"DiNozzo...your case. Your lead. Delegate."

"What, boss?" Tony blinked furiously, trying o focus on something besides the grainy footage on his computer.

"You heard me. What's my task? Boss."

Tony chuckled nervously and glanced at McGee and Bishop. Bishop wasn't fazed until she heard Gibbs call Tony 'boss', and then her eyes opened wide.  _Probably wondering if Gibbs has lost it,_ Tony thought. Then he remembered their conversation about Gibbs retiring. This was his way of starting the process.  _Hell of a lot better than getting blown up and then running off to Mexico._

"Well, Gibbs, I want you working on BOLOs, and get the official report from the hospital on all the victims' injuries, then go over them with Ducky. Make sure their statements are complete. And if not, _try_ and be nice to them about it, they've been through enough." He handed Gibbs the paperwork on the BOLOs and faced his other, still amazed, team members. "McGee, Bishop, continuewhat you were doing. I'll keep on the surveillance footage, since we all know how Gibbs's eyes are." Tony smiled at Gibbs as he was walking toward the elevator to confer with Ducky. Gibbs stopped and whacked Tony upside the head. "Hey! I'm the boss now, remember?"

"Don't let it go to your head." He replied and continued on his way, flipping open his cell to call the hospital and have them send the reports directly to Ducky. Once he was out of sight, he smiled. Last time he left, it was out of fear. He was running. This time, it'll be because he knows his team is in good hands. It felt right. He'd probably change his mind a few times in the next month or so it would take the paperwork to be finalized, but this is the right thing to do.

*****

It was 9am and none of them had slept. Roy had taken a turn for the worse from internal bleeding, and they were all hoping it wouldn't be upgraded to murder, but the next 24 hours would determine that. Bishop had found references to an incident in Iraq where 4 Marines were killed on the date mentioned, but Tony wanted to dig deeper. His 'gut.' McGee laughed at that, but a glare from Gibbs silenced him, and he started digging. He did a few things which may or may not have been legal, bit he found out that the mission was intentionally scrapped by the US, and instead of rescuing the Marines, the backup team was ordered back. One of the backup team members had been meeting someone in DC the past few weeks, so McGee was working on finding out who. 

"I'm guessing family of the 4 killed,  _Boss."_ Gibbs said. Tony nodded in agreement.

"Find out. I'm going for food and coffee...we all need it. Sitrep in 20." Tony strode down the aisle without hesitation. He knew the team had his back this time, and if they didn't, at least Gibbs was here to back him up.

In 19 minutes, Tony came through the door with a bag and a paper tray of coffees. He handed them each their usual, placing his on his desk and said "here's your crude oil, Gibbs, just how you like it." There was a hint of mischief in his eye as Gibbs took a sip of his coffee, but it tasted fine.

"Campfire." McGee, Tony and Gibbs all pulled their chairs to the center of the aisle. Bishop followed, obviously confused, until McGee whispered 'it's like a sitrep, just a little more Tony.'

The brother of one of the Marines and wife of another had met with the retired marine. They'd also found an assault of someone in an army costume a few days before their assault, but it was minor and the suspects fled when they realized the person was in costume, not actual military. They had a BOLO out on the brother and wife, since the brother's build fit that of the third assailant, and their accounts were frozen. McGee and Bishop were looking through those accounts trying to find the other 2 assailants, and Abby had hacked into their computers already.

They all laid everything out, then a few pieces fell into place and Tony pushed back into his chair, wheeling himself back to his computer. "I gotta check something...gimme a few minutes.'

Everyone went back to their tasks, and opened their food bags. Tony had gotten everyone bananas in addition to their sandwiches. "This doesn't look like bacon, DiNozzo," Gibbs grumbled. 

"Potassium, Gibbs. It'll help keep you from getting aches and pains from sitting up all night." Gibbs glowered at him. "Ok, fine, take my apple...it's supposed to give you as much energy as a cup of coffee."

"I doubt that." Gibbs said as he handed Tony the banana. About 5 minutes later, he was regretting the switch. If Tony had kept the apple there would have been a lot of loud crunching and chewing, and it would have annoyed the hell out of him. But DiNozzo's banana eating technique was not particularly subtle. He peeled almost the whole thing from the bottom, holding it by the stem, and placed the tip into his mouth. He didn't bite it, just sucked on it.

When Bishop noticed his behavior, she joked, "Tony, picturing what you missed on your date last night?" Tony was honestly oblivious to his behavior until that point, but now that he'd noticed..."well, mostly I was thinking and kinda forgot the damn thing was even there! But now that you mention it...i had this girlfriend in college who bet me i couldn't swallow a banana further than her. I won. Wanna see?" His lips curled into a smirk and he winked at Gibbs the second he knew the others had glanced at each other instead of him.

"Uh...wait, Tony, you're telling us you can deep throat a 9" banana?" McGee asked.

"Well, I should probably know what I'm expecting of anyone going down on me!"

"Humble as always," McGee continued. "Shit, this I gotta see. Ten bucks says you can't. I wanna see lips closed, no chewing. Bishop?" 

"Oh, I'm outta this one." She held up her hands in surrender.

"Boss?" McGee looked t Gibbs for support.

"I'll take your bet, McGee. Make it $40. Never underestimate a man with a challenge." Gibbs crossed his arms on his chest and smiled. McGee hesitated at the wager, but pulled two $20 bills and put then on his desk. "Deal."

Tony proceeded to make a big show of clearing his throat, coughing, gargling some water, then tipped his head back and slid the whole fruit into his mouth in one motion, closing his lips around it and smiling. He coughed it back out a bit so he could take a proper bite, and grinned from ear to ear. "Told ya! Pay the man, McGee! Then back to work."

McGee held the twenties out to Gibbs, expecting him to stand to get them, but Gibbs just raised an eyebrow and motioned to McGee to bring them to him. He couldn't risk anyone noticing the bulge in his pants from Tony's little stunt. That wouldn't go away any time soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't usually write about the crimes themselves, so I apologize if this didn't sound terribly realistic...


	27. Solving the case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The case is solved and everyone goes home

"uh, boss?" McGee put the phone against his shoulder and leaned toward Gibbs. He almost responded, but stopped himself, ignoring the Junior agent. "Boss?" He didn't look up from his screen, even though every ounce of his being needed to know what McGee had. Instead, he pointed at Tony.

"Right," McGee turned his body to his left, "other boss?"

Tony stood up and strode to his desk "what's up probie?"

"Found the wife. Actually, she found us. She's at DC metro right now." Tony nodded.

"Found something interesting in the brother's history, you and Gibbs pick them up, Bishop and I'll talk to metro." He handed McGee a slip of paper and nodded to Gibbs as he was getting his gun and badge. "They don't seem to like cops or military, so be careful." A flash of protective concern showed in Tony's eyes, but he hid it quickly, and Gibbs just smirked. 

Bishop was ready and waiting at the elevator. "Let's hurry up and get back in case they need backup" he told her.

*****

"I didn't know, I swear."  Mrs. Whitlock sobbed. She'd been repeating herself since the precinct and was now just mumbling to herself in the interview room. 

"Damnit, Jethro, answer." Tony slammed his phone against the wall of the observation room. It had been over an hour since he sent Gibbs and McGee to pick up the two other suspects, and 20 minutes since he'd first tried to call. They were supposed to call if there was any trouble, at all. Then again, this was Gibbs. If anything happened to them... and then his phone rang. The screen was cracked, but it still worked. It was McGee. "Sorry Boss... um... Boss was driving. We got 'em. Headed to interrogation now." Tony hung up without saying a word.  _Never be unreachable my ass._

Tony went to interview Mrs Whitlock. He'd deal with Gibbs later.

"So, Mrs. Whitlock, please, I need you to be specific. What did Mr. Shaughenssy say, exactly?"

"He knew people who hated the military as much as we did. I thought he meant politically, you know? Like, someone to go after the assholes who abandoned my husband. Honestly, if they'd done something illegal to them specifically, I wouldn't care one bit. But then I saw on the news...and that i was wanted...and...oh God, what did I do?"

When Tony finally left the room, he found Gibbs standing outside. "You want them next?" Gibbs jerked his thumb toward the other interrogation room doors. Tony glared at him but replied "no, have at it." Gibbs pushed off the wall and started to say something, but Tony was already gone.

In the end, they found the brother hiding out at a motel about 40 miles outside DC. The marine who'd told them what happened had, unfortunately, committed suicide. After he met with Shaughnessy and Whitlock, Shaughnessy had called some friends who had been in the brig for assault and rape and who'd been very vocal over their dislike of military procedures. They used their friend's loss of his brother as an excuse to go on a crime spree, but thankfully for NCIS they weren't particularly intelligent. 

Gibbs remembered watching his government blow up a ship to save face.  _No man left behind my ass._ He called each of the other families involved in the mission that started all of this and apologized for their loss. He found the Marines who were supposed to be on the rescue team and offered bourbon therapy. And after the rest of his team had left, he let his head sink into his hands to mourn not only the loss of the team left behind, but the loss of integrity and honor he felt at being a Marine.

Suddenly, a hand was on his shoulder. His whole team wasn't gone. He knew who it was, though. "Go home boss. We'll talk later."

"Still don't like talkin' Tony." He paused and looked at his face. His features were soft, his eyes concerned, but there was an annoyance behind them. "Boss." He smirked. Tony blushed a bit,  _he's so easy_ Gibbs thought.

"Yeah, we'll talk about that too." Tony had blushed, but his mouth formed a firm straight line. One that told Gibbs he screwed up.

"Come over?" Gibbs whispered, and Tony nodded once before grabbing his go bag and walking towards the elevator. He needed a shower and some clean clothes before he went anywhere.

*****

Katherine woke up on the couch, unsure of the time, when Gibbs walked through the door. She pushed herself up and meant to make a sarcastic remark about curfews or staying out all night, but stopped when she saw the look on his face. He brushed past her and went straight to the coffee. She followed.

"Hey, you ok?" Gibbs just shut his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Katherine reached into the drawer that held the aspirin and tossed him the bottle. "Guess not. Stupid question, but I gotta ask...wanna talk about it?" Gibbs just glared at her. She held her hands up in mock surrender, but sat across from him at the table anyway. "Hey, I'm stuck here all by my lonesome, and I actually like talking, so I gotta ask." He swallowed 3 of the white pills and stared into his coffee.

"Tony ok?" She asked. He nodded. Tony... Katherine...now would be the perfect time to talk about something else..."I should retire." He grumbled into his mug.

"What?" Katherin's eyes went wide.

Gibbs cleared his throat and looked her in the eyes. "Ive got a decent pension, and you'll want to go back to work. If I retire, I can stay with..." he still couldn't say 'our son or daughter,' but the way his hand sought her abdomen, she knew.

She didn't respond right away. "You want custody?" She whispered, tentatively, her own hands circling her belly protectively. After Evie, no way was anyone coming between her and her baby. His eyes shot up. "Not taking him from you. Just talking about who's gonna care for him during the day, instead of paying some schmuck we don't know."

She nodded. "What about... Living arrangements? I'm here because I'm gonna need help for a while, but after the birth, I'm sure you'll want me out of your hair. If you're staying home with him, or her, what about evenings? Should we get some kind of legal papers?" Her head had fallen. She dealt with legal bullshit day in and day out, she had hoped to avoid negotiations at home. Or whatever this place was. 

He blinked a few times, then responded. "You could stay."

She looked at him and half chuckled. "And when you want Tony to live with you? Or if Abby and I get to that point? And what about Nate? Your house isn't small, but I think having 4 adults, one college kid, and an infant may be a bit much." She was right, and he knew it, but he didn't want to think that far ahead. He just knew he didn't want his kid living somewhere else, even part time. And he didn't want his kid living apart from his mother, even part time.

"Not there yet, Katie. Family comes first, and we're family. If we need to, we can expand or something, but just think about it. You and Nate will always have a place here. No matter what. The rest we can figure out as we go."

She thought about what he said. "OK." She smiled. "I'll stay. And if retirement is what you want, then you should do it." She felt relieved to know the baby would be with family, and she wouldn't have to sacrifice time with him/her. Co-parenting might not be so hard after all.

Gibbs smiled in relief. "I'll talk to Vance tomorrow."

"What about Tony? He ok with this?" 

 _Tony.That damn banana stunt._ Gibbs felt his pants tighten at the thought, but he swallowed and fought the feeling. "Yeah, he knows."

"And Abby?"

"No, nobody else. Not yet." 

"Oh jeez, she's gonna flip." Katherine started to stand, but felt a gentle hand on her arm. 

"I'll tell her. When it's right." Gibbs said.

Katherine patted his hand, "oh, don't worry, that honor is all yours. Now, however, I have a date to finish. And I'm taking her phone." She turned and left the room, dialing Abby's number. 

Gibbs sat at the table, feeling a little better about the immediate future. Nate would be back soon from his soccer camp, then he'd be off to college, and it would be good for him to have a place to come home to. He'd need to get started on the baby's crib. Kelly's was upstairs in the attic, but it'd been so long it might not be safe anymore. He'd use what he could from it, though. And Tony...moving in... _That's a whole separate conversation_ he thought.

With that, he heard tires in the driveway. Katherine was in the living room when he came in and she gathered her things. "He looks grumpier than you...I'm outta here!" She was out the door as soon as Tony opened it, giving him a hug in the process. She kissed his cheek, patted his arm, and left.

"Jethro?" Tony said loudly, as he entered. 

"Right here, Tone, no need to yell," Gibbs said, leaning on the doorframe, coffee in hand. Tony had showered and changed into jeans and a thin shirt that emphasized the musculature of his arms and chest. He looked good. And grumpy.

"Don't be unreachable?" Tony dropped his bag and strode across the room, his jaw set in frustration, until he was inches from Gibbs. A lesser man would have been intimidated, practically pinned to the hardwood frame of the door, but Gibbs simply slid his coffee cup around Tony and leaned to put it onto the table beside him.

"I called 4 times, Jet. You're picking up guys suspected of assaulting military personnel, and you ignore my calls? It was supposed to be  _my_ case. If nothing else, you should have reported back. But fuck, how was I supposed to know you weren't another victim?" He wasn't just pissed. He'd been scared.

Gibbs placed a hand on his neck. "I screwed up." Tony froze. This was the closest he'd ever gotten to an apology from his boss. Then again, he wasn't just his boss anymore, was he? "Let my ego override my brain."

 _Shit._ _Don't melt. Don't let him see you melt._

Too late. Gibbs went from a soft, apologetic hand, to a predatory sneer. He pushed back against Tony, quickly switching their positions in the small door frame. "But that banana thing? I guess it's good for both of us that I'm retiring. Almost bet you something else wouldn't fit..."

 _Not_ melting. Melting usually means things get softer. Which was definitely not the case. "Thought we were taking things slow?" He asked.

"That was before you started showing off." Gibbs pressed his thigh against Tony's groin. "And before you went all protective on me." 

Tony blushed. "Just protocol. You shoulda checked in."

"Protocol my ass. You were worried about me." Gibbs pulled Tony into a kiss that made him weak in the knees.

"Yeah, so? We gonna talk work, or you want to make that bet?" Tony grinned as he felt Gibbs shudder at the thought, but he quickly recovered. 

"Oh, we'll get to your bet." Gibbs's hand found its way to Tony's belt. "But I'd prefer to start with what I know." Tony moaned at the feeling of his rough, calloused hand pushing into his pants. 

"Here? Aren't we a bit old to fool around in doorways?"

Gibbs used his free hand to push Tony toward the couch. "Fine, this'll do." He stopped long enough to liberate Tony from his pants--he wasnt wearing underwear, as usual. Once his pants were at his ankles, Tony flopped back onto the couch and he kicked his feet free.

"Tube socks," Gibbs commented. 

Tony laughed. " Figured a Navy Guy could appreciate them." 

Gibbs growled and sat next to Tony, rolling so one of his clothed legs was draped across one of Tony's naked ones. His hand dropped to Tony's hard cock, and he tightened his leg over Tony to keep him from squirming. Tony's arm was pinned under Gibbs, so he couldn't do much more than let Gibbs touch him. Gibbs was silently enjoying the whimpered noises coming from beneath him. He wanted more, so much more. He wanted to hear Tony calling his name, writhing beneath him, fisting his bedsheets while Gibbs filled him with his release. But not yet. This was a beginning, and Gibbs was going to make it a good one.

Tony was panting and grasping at Gibbs's back now. "Jethro... God, I can't last...i want..." Gibbs slowed his strokes, keeping Tony on the edge, but waiting until he could say what he wanted. When he didn't elaborate, Gibbs asked.

"What do you want, Tony? Tell me."

"Never mind, just...just don't stop." Tony shook his head and his balls tightened. Gibbs was way better at keeping him on this fine line than he'd ever experienced.

"No, Tony" Gibbs slowed just a fraction more, "tell me."

"It's too soon," Tony panted. "Just... keep going. Please,"

"No." Gibbs tightened his grip, almost painfully, at the base of Tony's cock, eliciting a squeak and a moan.

"I want you to suck me" he whispered, softly. "But that can wait." He quickly added, not wanting to scare Gibbs. Not hat much scared Gibbs, but...wait...Gibbs was shifting, leaning over into his lap.  _Holy fuck..._

Gibbs tentatively ran his tongue against the sensitive tip, causing DiNozzo to cry out and grab his shirt and the cushion on the other side of him. Never one to do anything half-assed, he circled the head and pulled it into his mouth.

"Jesus...oh...Jet...not gonna..." Gibbs could feel Tony trying to control his release, his balls were tight, he was getting harder as Gibbs stroked him with his hand and lips. "Jethro..." this time the warning came with a grip to the hair on the base of his neck. Gibbs responded by making a tighter seal around the ridge of Tony's head and sucking just a little harder.

Tony cried out as he tried to keep his hips from bucking forward into his lover's tight mouth. "Oh God! Jethro!" He felt his cum pooling in Jethro's mouth, escaping down his shaft, running between his fingers. The sight of his hand gripping the silver hair of the man he loved made him shudder harder as he neared the end of his orgasm. Slowly, he released his grip, wincing at the red scratches he'd left.  _whoops._

Gibbs sat up, trying to not look uncomfortable wiping the cum from his lips and chin. He stepped into the kitchen, grabbing a damp cloth and brought it to Tony.

"Thanks," Tony said, smiling at Gibbs's blush. "Let me..." he wiped the cloth across Gibbs's chin, as Gibbs tried to avoid eye contact. "Thanks. You didn't have to."

Gibbs looked at him and grabbed his hand. "No, I didn't. But I wanted to. I...I liked it. Just not used to it." Tony felt his lip curl into a smirk. His hand reached toward Gibbs. 

"Let's see how much you liked it..." he said as he stroked Gibbs through his pants. He sat forward on the couch, letting Gibbs stand up straight as Tony dropped his pants and underwear. Gibbs gritted his teeth to try and hide his reaction, but Tony could tell he was rock hard and sensitive. 

"Thicker than a banana, Jethro..."

"Bet's still a bet, Tony."

Tony accepted his challenge and grasped Jethro's full cock by the base, almost using it to pull him closer. Gibbs groaned at the pressure, then gasped as Tony's mouth enveloped him. He started slow, not the fast swallow he'd demonstrated in the office. Gibbs wasn't sure how long he could stand there without his knees buckling, so he tapped Tony's shoulder. "Bad knee" he whispered, and Tony backed up. 

"Jeez, I forgot, you sit." He turned Gibbs around to take his place on the sofa and knelt between his knees. "Not the easiest angle for me, but I'll try and make it work." He grinned and licked his lips, making Gibbs moan before he was even touched again. Soon enough, Tony had easily taken over half of Gibbs's length into his mouth and Gibbs felt his tongue working the underside of his shaft.

Tony tried to block out the sounds coming from Gibbs's throat, tried to hold his hips still as he focused on his task. It had been a while, but he knew he was damn good at this. It helped that Gibbs was so sensitive already, but he was probably no stranger to blow jobs --just not a DiNozzo BJ. Tony knew plenty of people just went through the motions with oral, just doing the minimum to arouse their partner, but Tony felt like his was an art form. He loved practicing, loved tracing his tongue across his lover's in a variety of ways until he could paint a picture of their favorite spots, favorite technique and pressure. His favorite part was the learning. Gibbs wasn't a talker as a rule, but he certainly wasn't quiet when it came to pleasure. His favorite so far was when Tony flattened his tongue and made a long swipe from the base of his balls, over them, and all the way up his shaft, ending with a flick of the tip into his sensitive slit. He alternated licking and playing with taking more and more of his length into his throat. While he was slightly shorter than the banana he'd impressed the team with earlier, he was easily twice as thick. Tony shuddered at the thought of riding this impressive cock, and felt himself grow hard again. Not bad for a guy in his 40s. 

Soon, under his attentions, Gibbs was panting and whimpering little moans every time Tony's tongue changed directions. His hand was fisting his hair gently, making Tony's cock leak. It was time. He pushed Gibbs's cock down at the base so it pointed in a more downward direction than its natural slight upward curve, and lowered his mouth into it. Gibbs shuddered with a sharp intake of breath when he felt the back of Tony's throat, and Tony kept going. He fought the urge to fuck his mouth and let Tony set the pace. He had never had a blow job so good. Quickly, Tony was working him hard and fast, and Gibbs was panting and his body tensed. He wanted to warn Tony, but all he could get out was a gasp of "Gonna...oh Tony!" Tony felt his balls draw up close to his body, and he pushed down onto Gibbs's cock, swallowing and squeezing the head as he came, hard and fast, down his throat. He didn't stop Gibbs from thrusting into his mouth at that point, he just gave up a little control, rubbed his balls, and watched what he could of Jethro's face, scrunched in pleasure, gasping for air.

He backed up and sucked for air around the end of Jethro's shaft. He gently licked and sucked and even nibbled Gibbs's sensitive skin, from his thighs to his balls to dipping his tongue into the slit to gather any cum that was left, until a hand on his head pushed him away.

"Guess I win." He said.

"Guess we both win," Gibbs responded.

"This how you're gonna resolve work disputes for the next month? Still haven't forgotten about the phone."

Tony looked at him with an evil grin. "Maybe I'll ignore your call next time." Gibbs didn't even open his eyes to aim, but delivered a perfect smack to the back of his head. "Don't even think about it DiNozzo," he said, then gathered him into his arms.

Tony stretched out along Gibbs's body, running his hands across him as if to remember every muscle, every scar, every shudder and tremble he felt as his fingers traveled.

"So you're sure about retiring? Not gonna come back and take my team?" He asked.

"I'm sure. And Katie, Nate, and the little one--"

"Spawn."

Gibbs sighed. "The  _baby_ \--will all be moving in here permanently. We discussed it today."

"Makes sense. You being a house dad and all."

Gibbs growled, but it almost turned to a hum when Tony snuggled into his side. "This is nice."

"Yeah, it is," Gibbs responded, with a quick stroke of his hand through Tony's hair. "It really is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been busy at home, so writing has been slow anyway, but I just watched the season 13 finale and now I'm having a really hard time writing Tibbs. I can't get back into my head on them, all I can see is that goodbye hug :'(. I hope I did this justice, for all the piecemeal writing.


	28. Abby's date, take 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby and Katherine get to finish the date they started before the case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still recovering from the finale, so Tibbs has to be shelved for a little while.

_Hey hon, I heard you're done for the evening?_

 Abby cradled the phone to her ear with her shoulder. "Yup, bossman got his confessions in record time. Well, both bossmans...bossmen... whatever, Tony and Gibbs. They were hinky today. I mean, I know they're all up in each other's business lately, but there was something else."

Katherine didn't respond.

"What do you know?" Abby gasped.

_Nothing, Abbs. They're having some sexual tension issues tonight, at least. Look, I'm on my way over. I've been bored out of my skull at home, and we never finished our date the other day. First thing I'm doing when I get there is pocketing your phone. Jethro already knows._

Abby snickered. Katherine knew something, but she would leave it alone for now. "Ok, I can make something, if you want..."

_No organ meat, please. Or celery. *Gag* I think celery is worse than liver right now._

"Of course not!" Abby out the celeriac back into the fridge. "How does a nice simple tofu stir fry sound."

_With rice noodles and peanuts?_

"can do!"

_You're a goddess._

 "Which one?" Katherine had a thing for some of the cheesy 90s/00s TV shows, and had admitted recently that Hercules was one of her most recent embarrassing binges. Abby hadn't let her live it down.

_Seriously? You gotta bring that up?  
_

"Yup. Do tell. Which one?” Abby could hear Katherine’s sigh over the shifting of her car, telling her she was on her way up the hill to her neighborhood. She hurriedly pulled the ingredients from the fridge and cupboard, making sure she removed every miniscule bit of celery from the stir fry blend she’d gotten at the market a few days ago.

_OK, well…you’re certainly as hot as Aphrodite. And mischevious._

“Um, blonde? With pink frou frou pants?”

_Hey, I said you were hot, and tricky, not that you dress like her! But come on…even you can’t deny the rack on her._

Abby had to agree. The few times she’d been dragged into watching the mind-numbing show (which wasn’t as bad as she tried to argue…but she’d never admit it), the one advantage was the skimpy outfits the women seemed to be constantly wearing. Not a great thing for feminism, but the view…

_You’re dark and broody like Celesta, but she’s too…pouty. You pout, but it’s short lived and cute. She’s too delicate._

“I do not pout.” Abby pouted. She had pressed the tofu between paper towels and plates and was mixing the sauce: hoisin, chunky peanut butter, red pepper flakes (Katherine loved spicy foods right now), rice vinegar, sesame oil, and scallions.

 _Sure._ Katherine laughed. _Pouty. Anyway…your fashion sense is closer to that of Discord, but you’ve got a good heart. But really, I’d go for Athena. Smart, thoughtful, strong, kickass and sassy. Those are my favorite things about you, hon. But I’ll stand by my rating of Aphrodite’s rack—and yours is better._  

By the time Katherine was at the door, Abby was fully engrossed in prepping the meal.

_I’m here…_

“Oh, crap, sorry, gimme a sec...” Abby unlocked the door and was met with a toe-curling kiss. “Woah, there,” she smiled into Katherine’s lips.

“Missed you.” Katherine said, and snaked a hand around Abby’s back, lightly smacking her ass.

“OK, well, horny lady, if you want to eat, you better stop that,” Abby laughed as she spun around back toward the kitchen. 

“I may be horny, but I’m also pregnant…so…food first.” She placed two bottles on the counter. One champagne, one sparkling grape juice. “Fridge or freezer?” She asked.

“What’s that for?” Abby asked as she took them both and put them in the coldest part of her fridge.

“They go with these…” Katherine pulled 2 ivory candles from her tote bag. “Nothing fancy, but I was thinking maybe we could try something a little romantic.”

“awwww, babe!” Abby clapped and cupped Katherine’s face and brought her into a chaste kiss. “You’re totally more the Aphrodite type.”

“Except the pink.” Katherine shuddered. She could live in torn jeans, sneakers, and t-shirts for the rest of her life if she had the choice. She wasn’t suit-and-tie androgynous, because ties are just as uncomfortable as knee-highs, but she firmly disliked skirts and only occasionally dabbled in super-feminine things. Pink frilly lace? Ew. Although, picturing it on Abby…Katherine’s eyes began to wander south…

“OK, I know that look…eyes up here, lady.” Abby distracted her daydream with a single wave of her finger.

“I’m just getting ideas for some presents.” She waggled her eyebrows and Abby rolled her eyes.

“So much for _romantic_ evening conversation…you’re terrible.”

“You complaining? Besides, hormones make me worse. My filters are gone. And--ooh, baby corns!” Katherine grinned as Abby threw the vegetables and tofu into the wok, stealing a corn from the pan. Abby gently smacked her fingers with a spatula.

“Hey! That’s for dinner!”

“Yeah, and you were on the phone with some girl and got distracted from cooking for me. I have a right to sustenance. I’m eating for two, you know.” Abby’s attention was directed to Katherine’s hand that had been resting on her stomach.

“You’re forgiven…for now. Go. Sit.” She shooed Katherine into the dining room, but Katherine didn’t sit. She set the table, lit the candles, turned on something other than screaming death metal ‘music,’ and in general puttered until Abby brought two plates piled high with perfectly cooked noodles and snappy vegetables and crispy tofu.

As the pair sat to eat, Katherine closed her eyes and hummed her appreciation. “Oh my god, this is amazing.” Abby lifted an eyebrow—it was good, but really? That was a bit much. Katherine opened an eye to look at her. “OK, it’s really good, but the amazing part is I didn’t make it, and it’s good. To be honest, Jethro could use a little help in the kitchen.”

Abby couldn’t stifle her amusement. “You mean, you want to eat something other than charred fireplace beef?” The two laughed until they were bright red in the face. 

“To his credit, though…those steaks are damn good. I just need something green in my diet on occasion. And this is perfect.” Katherine reached a hand across the table and stroked Abby’s arm. “Thank you.”

Abby blushed, set down her chopsticks, and covered Katherine’s hand with her own. “Hey, I missed you too.” They kissed, then quietly returned to their meal. Sometime in the silence, they finished and returned to that kiss, empty dishes forgotten for a few minutes, until they stopped and rested their foreheads together. Katherine pulled back with a sigh, wiping her mouth with her napkin.

“So, what else is on the agenda? I still want to try out that bed, but I’m a little full for that right now,” she smiled and patted her stomach in appreciation. 

“Well, how about we watch some of your _favorite_ shows…except I pick Xena this time.”

Katherine beamed. “You just want to watch her and Gabrielle in the tub again.”

“You betcha!” Abby jumped up and tried to grab Katherine’s nearly empty plate.

“I’m not an invalid, I got this. You get Netflix going.” Katherine pushed Abby back and took the dishes to the sink. She liked being taken care of, to some extent, but needed to be able to reciprocate. Clearing the table and loading the dishwasher was a way to do that. Abby kissed her cheek, pinched her butt, and hopped into the living room. Katherine waited until she was out of sight before she leaned heavily on the counter. She hated always being so tired. It beat the nausea of the first several weeks, but it still sucked. She’d asked the doctors about it, thinking maybe it was just her screwed up reaction to pregnancy, but apparently it was pretty normal. She just didn’t want anyone seeing her like that. She wanted to be normal for as long as possible, so she took a deep breath, stood up, and cleaned the plates into the compost, rinsed them, and placed them orderly in the dishwasher by her side. Her arms were a little shaky when she was done, so she took a few minutes to breathe before bringing the fruit she’d found in the fridge out to the living room.

“Um…what are you doing?” She asked Abby, who was spinning around the room attempting Xena’s warrior trilling thing. Abby stopped and smiled.

“Just practicing…you can be my Gabrielle. I’m the dark and broody one. You’re fair and…ok, broody…but still”

Katherine scoffed and tossed a piece of cantelope at her forehead. The melon fell to the floor untouched. “I think you’re more Gabrielle with those reflexes.” They laughed and plopped onto the couch, draping themselves across each other, each reaching for the perfectly ripe fruit in the bowl.

“Guess what? I’m touching your melons.” Katherine whispered into abby’s ear.

Abby ran her tongue across a piece of honeydew and winked. “I’m licking my melons.”

Katherine smirked “A rare talent. We’ll try it later.” God, they were terrible. But the theme song came on and they faced the TV.

Normally, they couldn’t make it through a movie (or one or two episodes of a show) without getting naked and leaving the fiction behind. “Netflix and chill” was outside their vocabulary until Abby had heard it from some kid at the bowling alley and thought it was HILARIOUS because…well…yeah. That was them. Except tonight, Abby realized that Katherine had stopped running her fingers through her hair about 20 minutes into the episode. She turned and saw her lover, eyes closed, hand resting on Abby’s shoulder, mouth open, fast asleep. Abby smiled and snuggled into her warm arms, and Katherine just wrapped her tighter. Abby watched the TV and dozed for a while, until it was obvious that Katherine wasn’t going to wake on her own. She stood and gently touched Katherine’s face. Her green eyes opened and met Abby’s. “Hey sleepyhead…the bed is a lot more comfy.”

Katherine smiled. “I remember.” She stretched and Abby held out a hand to help her up. “Wait…” Katherine grabbed Abby’s phone and left it on the kitchen counter. “Jethro can deal with me in the morning.” Abby seemed anxious at this, but followed Katherine anyway.

When they got into the bedroom, Katherine kissed Abby gently, one hand on her cheek, the other wrapped around her waist. Abby kissed back, but broke the kiss sooner than she wanted. “You’re tired. You should sleep.” She looked concerned and tentative. Katherine hated that look. Abby was anything but tentative.

Katherine got serious. “I napped. If I’m too tired to kiss you, then I won’t kiss you. But right now, I want to kiss you, and hold you, and lie in this beautiful bed with you. Whatever happens, happens. Got it?”

Abby swallowed hard. Katherine was a mash up of soft kisses and grumbly orders right now, and it was doing wonderful things to Abby’s insides. “Got it,” she whispered, and stepped back into Katherine’s space. They kissed again, both eager participants, slowly inching toward the still-virgin bed. Katherine knew she wouldn’t be up for what she’d planned several nights before, but she needed to feel Abby with her. As they tumbled into bed, Katherine pulled Abby close, lying on their sides. She stroked Abby’s face and watched the hyper woman melt into her hands.

“Abby. I love you. I haven’t said it this soon before, but we’ve gone through a ton of shit together already, and maybe I’m just extra hormonal, but I really do love you.” Abby waited…there had to be a “but…” in there somewhere. There always was.

None came. Katherine just stared into her eyes. For all the crap she’d given her about moving in with Gibbs, for all the insecurities and the selfishness, this woman was still here. Still holding her. Abby got teary-eyed. She wished she had her Bert. He would make things a little less serious. The stuffed one, not the ranger. Although, he would look awfully good sandwiched between them…

“You’re wandering…” Katherine’s voice brought her back to this world. She just kissed her and snuggled tighter. “Sorry. I love you too.”

 Katherine just might have been content stroking Abby's back, holding her tight, but then she felt Abby's breathing get shallower and more rapid. Abby pulled herself even closer and slid her leg between Katherine's thighs. Katherine sighed at the contact and pushed into her leg. They stayed in this position, touching softly, kissing gently, dragging fingers in long strokes along their bodies, pressing into each other and slowly rocking back and forth, for what seemed like forever. Soon, Katherine couldn't contain herself anymore and a deep moan escaped her lips. Abby brought a hand to her face and kissed her intensely. She shifted them slightly so she was on top of Katherine, or her leg at least. She was careful to not lean on her belly, but wanted her to feel the weight of her body across her thighs and pressing her hands into the mattress. 

Katherine arched her back, meeting Abby's hungry mouth as her kisses became firmer, as if she were trying to devour her right there. She let Abby have control tonight, and kept her hands where they had been placed. She dipped her head down and caught Abby's earlobe in between her lips, the nibbling and licking causing quiet whimpers to escape Abby's mouth. 

Abby released one of Katherine's hands and slipped her hand between them. They'd been touching and kissing so long they were both wet and extremely sensitive already. Katherine's free hand wrapped around Abby's bent thigh and touched her from behind as Abby slid her fingers across Katherine's clit. They shuddered in unison and began slowly pleasing each other. 

Abby tried to focus on what she knew her lover liked. She didn't like direct stimulation until the end, and she liked penetration. Abby circled her clit with her fingers, rubbing the sides and top with different amounts of pressure. She alternated that with thrusting 3 fingers as deep as she could inside her, curving to hit the tiny soft spot that made her thighs quiver. She usually preferred to do these at the same time, using her hands and her mouth, but Katherine was holding her up, staring into her eyes.

"I want to see you" she gasped, as she tried to focus on Abby's needs. Abby loved straight up clit play. She liked it a little rough, and she loved it when Katherine pinched or flicked the silver balls of her piercing, then soothed the strike by massaging the area. Abby was close, Katherine could see it in her face, and feel how she moved on her hand. Her fingers were faltering--she was never very good at focusing on someone else when she was this close--so Katherine coached her back just a bit. "Harder now, I want to see your eyes baby, cum with me"

With the last words letting Abby know how close Katherine was too, Abby's hips started to roll against Katherine's hand and thigh. Katherine kept her clit between her thumb and forefinger and squeezed, rolled, and rubbed until she felt Abby come apart. The sounds coming from Abby's desperate throat, with the sudden frantic pressure on her own clit brought Katherine over the edge with her. They came together, much longer than usual, then collapsed next to each other, boneless.

After several long moments, Katherine looked down to see her lover fast asleep in her arms. No doubt Jethro had worked her extremely hard, and she probably hadn't gotten any sleep, but she had still stayed up, made her dinner, watched TV, and made love. Katherine kissed her forehead and snuggled her close, pulling the satin sheets over her shoulders. 

****

Abby woke to the sun piercing through her velvet curtains. "Ugggghhhh, the day star...it burns!" She yelled, hearing Katherine in the kitchen.

"I'm the soulless ginger, that's my line," she said, as she came into the room with a plate of lovely smelling food. "Don't get used to it, I just couldn't sleep." Katherine grinned, but the bags under her eyes told Abby what she said was true. Usually she was the opposite of a morning person, grumbling and grouchy until at least 10. But this morning she'd made a meal any five star B&B would be proud of. Creamy feta scrambled eggs with scallions, bacon baked until perfectly crumbly [not fried and hard], grilled tomatoes [how?], And the rest of the fresh melon from the other night. Abby swooned.

"So, even if we don't move in together, you'll still cook for me, right?" She smiled, but the smile quickly faded when she saw Katherine's downturned eyes. "What now? What did I say? Was it too soon? I didn't mean to sound selfish again, I was just complimenting--"

"Abbs, no, it's ok," Katherine interrupted, putting her hands on Abby's shoulders. "But I guess now is as good a time as any." She took a deep breath, and the look in her eyes made Abby balk."

"Are you breaking up with me? Was that what this was? One last hurrah?" She suddenly felt broken, but Katherine kept her grip on her shoulders.

"No. I love you Abigail Scuito. That hasn't changed, and if it ever changes, I would never, ever, do anything like that to you." Abby relaxed a little, leaning into Katherine's touch. "But I won't be moving in with you. Not for a while."

"Well, I figured that. I mean, Gibbs wants to make sure you're ok, and the gibblet is ok, and nobody can tell him 'no' and he's the dad so I totally get it now. I didn't mean to bring that up again." Abby tried to let Katherine know she wasn't still brooding over that old argument. She really was ok with it. "And then once we know Gibblet is ok, then Gibbs can totally make us a crib or something, since I don't have anything here, and"

"Abby...Abby...stop. I was talking about after the baby is born." Abby's eyes shot up. "We talked about it already. Jethro wants me to stay, so we can raise this baby together. Coparenting is a lot easier if the parents live together."

Abby slowly backed away, not bothering to hide the hurt in her eyes. "But I thought we could just get back to normal. I thought we could have a relationship without my BOSS in the middle. What, does he just miss having a housewife?" She was never this mean to Gibbs, but this was his fault.

"Abby, stop. That's bullshit and you know it. A baby is a full time job, plus work, it would be too hard on everyone to be constantly shuttling between two homes right now. Plus, your place doesn't have any room for Nate. He likes you, but Uncle Jethro's house is his home. Jethro is protective, yes, but this is logical. Plus, could you imagine him having to deal with his kid living separate from him? After what happened with Kelly when they weren't together?" Katherine paused. Abby's face was still red, she was still hurt, but remembering the pain she'd seen on Gibbs's face when he thought his family had just died... a big tear rolled down her face. Katherine pulled her into a hug. "I couldn't do that to him. It may not be the best solution for you and me, for US, but it is best for this baby. And as long as she or he is safe, happy, and loved, then we've all got a good start." 

Abby mumbled into Katherine's neck "do you ever want to live together?" She looked up, teary eyed, but Katherine pulled her close again.

"Oh Abby, yes. Yes. And heck, maybe we can all create some utopian commune together." Katherine felt Abby's cheeks rise in a smile, but she said nothing. "Let's just take it one step at a time. After the baby is here, I'll be staying with Jethro. If and when we want to discuss living together, it has to be a joint conversation. I've never moved in with anyone before, even after 3 years of dating and an engagement, and I don't plan on changing my dating habits because of this pregnancy." She didn't want to think about what would change if she lost this baby like she had Evie. Abby nodded, with a sniffle.

"You're getting snot on me, aren't you?" Abby nodded again, and pulled closer to Katherine, but she felt her smile again.

"I know you want something normal..." Abby scrunched her eyebrows and shook her head. Katherine chuckled, "ok, I know, not normal. But without Jethro in the middle. But that's never going to happen. I won't let this baby out of my sight, and neither will he."

Abby was silent for a while. She had calmed down and was just hugging Katherine. Then, quietly, she whispered, "wouldn't mind the Bossman in the middle..." she looked up at Katherine's exaggerated eye roll and winked.


	29. Butting heads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some day to day stuff at casa de Gibbs.

Katherine was home by noon, kissing Abby roughly in the driveway and sending her on her way. She walked into the house and found it empty. Again. She called Nate.  
  
“Hey bud, how are things?”  
  
 _Good! How are you? How’s my sister_?  
  
Katherine chuckled. He was convinced this baby was a girl. “Good so far. Both of us. Ready for me to come get you tomorrow?” Sunday was his last day of training camp, and she was excited to see his final game and bring her boy home, even if it was just for a few weeks.  
  
 _Yes! It’s great here, and oh my god, you have to meet this totally cool girl I met…I mean…uh…I should ask her…_  
  
Katherine beamed. She’d caught glimpses of some of Nate’s girlfriends, but most weren’t particularly serious, and she was pretty sure he’d never gotten REALLY serious with any of them, but he’d never been excited for her to meet anyone before. “Yeah, dear, ask her first, before you subject her to your lawyer mother, her goth forensic scientist girlfriend, and your grumpy federal agent uncle.” He laughed.  
  
 _So…Abby? Is she still around? Cuz mom, she was being kinda bitchy. I know, that’s not nice, but seriously. She acted like Uncle Jethro was trying to steal you or something._  
  
“Yes, she’s still around. She feels bad that she did that, she’s just not very good at handling change. She admitted being bitchy,” Katherine chuckled.  
  
 _OK. But I’m still keeping an eye on her when I’m home._  
  
“Understood. So, aside from your friend-who-happens-to-be-a-girl, anything else exciting?”  
  
 _Uh, no_.  
  
Just like school. _Honey, what did you do today? / Nothin / Anything happen at school today? / I dunno._ Katherine sighed. Teenagers. “OK, well, I’m gonna take a nap, since I’m ALL ALONE here right now, and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow?”  
  
Nate sighed _Yeah, yeah, ALL ALONE. Woe is me, yadda yadda. I’ll see you tomorrow mom. Love you_.  
  
“Love you too baby.”  
  
*click*  
  
Katherine smiled. He’s a good kid. Broody and cranky, but kindhearted and protective and sweet. Maybe he grew up without a father figure, but he’s still pretty well adjusted.

She wondered if he remembered Evie. She hadn’t asked yet. Hadn’t been able to bring it up, that maybe that’s why he was so set on a little sister. She closed her eyes and thought about how happy David had been when she called him and told him the news. Her doctors had told her it would be better to wait, but she couldn’t. She called right away. He whooped and told all his buddies waiting on line to call home, and they congratulated the pair. Nate had been in bed, she remembered, but he made her a card in school the next day. It had been hard, doing it alone, but David traded with his buddies to call home almost every night. His tour was almost over when he didn’t call home for 4 days and she knew he wouldn't call again.   
  
***********************

As they were getting ready for bed, Jethro put his foot down. “You're not going alone. Period.”

Katherine narrowed her eyes.  “Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I've been living my life without your PERMISSION for 40 goddamn years. If you wanted to come with me, all you had to do was ask.” She was fuming, and so was he. Tony stood in the kitchen trying to make himself scarce.

Gibbs stepped into her personal space. “Fine. I  _ want _ to come.” He said, through gritted teeth.

Katherine smiled confidently. “Was that so hard?” When he didn't respond or back up, she threw up her hands in frustration. “God, Jethro, I'm not stupid. I wasn't going to go alone, but when you pull that bullheaded ordering me around crap? I'm not some minion you can smack into shape.”

Tony chuckled nervously. He couldn't help but overhear. “No offense, Tone,” she tossed over her shoulder. “I know YOU give as good as you get. I'm just not taking it in the first place.”

“All I said was that you're not going alone.” Gibbs growled.

“Exactly. And it's the way you said it. I'm not a kid anymore, don't assume you know what's best and that I don't. Ask me things, like I'm an equal person, not someone you get to control.”

She knew she’d been a little over the top, but she wasn't going to back down. If they were going to live together, this needed to be nipped in the bud. It was out of concern and fear, she knew that. She felt herself calm down a bit, and when she looked at Jethro, he had a hand on his forehead. He tried to leave, to escape up the stairs, but Tony stepped in.

“Jet…” he said softly, reaching out to him. Katherine watched their interaction closely. She hadn't seen the two of them like this yet. The loving touch of the arm, the nickname, the resigned sigh. They didn't have to say another word, it was all body language.

“I'm just concerned.” Jethro grunted, without looking at her.

“I know,” She said, “and I'm overly sensitive. Let's start over.” She took a deep breath. 

“I have to pick up Nate tomorrow, would you like to come? There's some games in the morning, then a ceremony for graduating seniors, then he wants me to meet his new friends. I think he’d be honored to have you both there.”

Gibbs clenched his jaw, and Tony whispered, almost inaudibly, “rule 51.”  _ Sometimes you're wrong.  _ She wasn't asking for an apology, just to move on. He’d been a bastard. He was often a bastard. Tony took it, whether he should or not, and gave it back when he could. His ex-wives all threw it back in his face whenever they could use it to their advantage. Katherine just called him on it right off the bat.

This was gonna be a “fun” living arrangement.

Tony felt Jethro relax under his hand. He'd decided how he was going to handle this, and it looked good. “I'd love to come. Tony?” His eyes were sincere, and Tony smiled.

“Sports camp? Heck yeah! I could show these kids a thing or two!” Jethro may or may not have made a comment involving the phrase ‘old man’, which threw Tony into a tizzy, claiming major offense. “Have you looked in a mirror, Boss?” He asked. “Yup. I'm not in denial, Tony.” But it was all in jest.

Katherine smiled as they all ascended the stairs, and without Tony noticing, lightly tapped the back of Jethro's head. He shook his head lightly, and aimed to do the same to her, but she ducked toward her room. She changed and crawled into bed, just a little jealous that Jethro had someone to share his bed with that night, and Abby wasn’t there.

Especially since the walls were a little thin. 

_ No. Fair. _ She thought, trying really hard to not get turned on at the sounds coming from the other room.

*****

They'd gone to bed at a decent time, but Tony had kept him up...in more ways than one. He’d protested, knowing his walls weren't the best, but Tony’s response was along the lines of “just be quiet then.”

As if that were possible.

They hadn't done much since that first time, but Tony was in the mood for more than cuddling and touching. In the end, Jethro had finished by writhing on his back, gripping Tony’s hips between his thighs, as the younger man on top of him fisted both their cocks and they thrusted together into his hand. Tony couldn't last when he saw Jethro come undone. He’d leaned down and sunk his teeth into his shoulder when he came, drawing a delicious moan from the still shaking man beneath him.

Gibbs thought they'd been relatively quiet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot more written, but it's not complete. I just wanted to get this one out.


	30. The hospital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: discussion of previous miscarriage/stillbirth/child death
> 
> There's an incident at 4:30am.

At 4:30am, he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He spun as efficiently as he could with Tony fast asleep in his arms, and saw Katherine as she sat on the side of his bed. He gently pulled his arm out from under Tony, wincing at the look of disappointment on his face at the loss, and sat up, completely ignoring the fact that he had not worn anything to bed. “What’s wrong?”  
  
She swallowed hard and he saw tears on her face. Panic set in. “Katie…” his hands were on her shoulders “It’s not…”  
  
“Not that bad…but…” she gave him what she hoped was a small reassuring smile “I need to be seen. I’m bleeding. Not a lot, I don’t think it’s…”  
  
Gibbs went into agent mode. “Up and at ‘em DiNozzo!” He roughly pushed Tony until his similarly naked form fell out of the bed. Katherine blushed, but neither man noticed. “On your six, boss!” He automatically replied, before realizing where he was. “Um…” he glanced down…thankfully the rude awakening had a negative effect on his natural morning state, but he was still standing here, naked, as Gibbs tossed clothes at him. “You get her in the car. I’m driving.” He dialed his phone as he almost ran out of the room. “Duck, meet me at the hospital.”  
  
Tony quickly pulled the jeans and shirt on—the jeans were not his, he noticed, as the ankles were about 2” too short—and gave Katherine a hand up. “I can walk, Tone,” she started to protest, but he tucked his arm around her waist anyway. “But I like having a beautiful woman on my arm,” he joked uncomfortably. She gratefully leaned into him. Her heart was racing and pounding too hard, she was starting to hyperventilate, so having the support was definitely a good thing.  
  
At the hospital, Ducky had called ahead and they were rushed directly to the OB floor. The first thing they did was unceremoniously cover Katherine’s body in monitors and coat her belly with gel. Jethro’s angry pacing only slowed when they heard the rhythmic thumping, loud and clear, over the ultrasound machine. “I’m guessing military?” the tech whispered to Katherine. Calm conversation usually helped her patients in times of stress. Katherine nodded.

The tech wasn’t sure how to interpret the relationship between the three people in the room—the younger man holding her patient’s hand was close to her in age, but didn’t seem as distressed as the older man pacing the room. Instead of asking one of them to leave at this moment, she figured she would let it go until they knew more. Hospital policies be damned. “I’ll be right back, ok? Whatever is going on, your baby is just fine right now. We’ll figure it out.” She laid a gentle hand on top of the four clenched ones at her patient’s side, and send a reassuring glance toward the silver haired man next to her. He nodded sharply, automatically placing his hands behind his back and his feet shoulder width apart. Can’t change a marine, she guessed, and left the room.  
  
They stayed like that for a long time. Tony holding Katherine’s hand, Jethro alternating between pacing and at ease. There was another chair, but he refused. His cell rang, and he answered curtly, “Yeah Duck?” He moved just outside the curtain when the beeping of monitors was too distracting.  
  
“Tony?” Katherine squeezed his hand. He was much better at the whole ‘comforting’ thing than Jethro was.  
  
“Yeah, what do you need? Water?” He started to stand.  
  
“No, stop, I’m fine.” He looked suspicious. “Really, I’m fine. But he’s not.” She motioned toward the direction Jethro had walked. “No matter what happens, take care of him.”  
  
Tony shook his head, “Nothing’s gonna happen, everything will be fine.”  
  
She half smiled, “I’m sure it will. But he still needs a lot more than he’ll ask for. And I’m not the one who can give it to him. He’s my family. I love him, I’ve loved him since I was a kid, and he’s still broken, and it kills me. God forbid…” her hands unconsciously guarded her belly as she paused, “he won’t make it without you.”  
  
“I’ve got his six. No matter what,” he promised. “But you and the spawn will be fine.”  
  
She chuckled, “I’m sure he loves that nickname.”  
  
“Hardly,” Gibbs came back to her bed, closing his phone. “Ducky will be here in less than 5 minutes. Says you’ll probably just be on bed rest, but he’s not your doctor.” He looked calmer now. Ducky was probably coming here more for his sake than hers or the baby’s. As much as Jethro hated to admit it, he needed his friends and adopted family. He wasn’t some lone wolf anymore.  
  
Gibbs actually sat in the second chair, resting his head on the wall behind him, feigning sleep. Tony and Katherine knew it was a ruse, but the few nurses who came in were quiet and assumed he was out cold. He just didn’t want to talk, or be talked to.  
  
Although Jethro’s even breathing was forced, Katherine felt herself being lulled toward sleep by the rhythmic heartbeat of the monitors—hers and the baby’s—and was almost asleep when the curtain was roughly pulled aside and a team of people in white coats entered.  
  
“Mr and Mrs McDonough?”  
  
Katherine flinched and her heart clenched. “Mr. McDonough has been dead for 11 years.” She said, coldly.  
  
“Oh, well…I apologize, Mr…?” The young doctor held a hand out to Tony.  
  
“Mr ‘I’m the boyfriend of the father’ Dinozzo” Tony said as he shook the doctor’s hand and then motioned toward a very angry Jethro.  
  
This time the doctor was flustered. Gibbs stood, almost a full head taller than the young man, and crossed his arms. “Oh, well, um, usually it’s just the patient and…one other…um…yes, right, so…” he turned toward Katherine, a much kinder recipient of his words, he hoped. “So, I spoke with your regular physician, Doctor Mallard, and your OBGYN, Doctor Hibshman. They both agree that it would be better to schedule you for the cerclage tomorrow, instead of in 2 weeks as was planned. You appear to have had some cervical thinning, which did cause the bleeding, but we’ve stopped that temporarily with medication. You’ll be admitted today, stay overnight, and we’ll keep monitoring to make sure nothing changes. We’re very flexible with visiting hours in these kinds of situations, but…” he glanced at Gibbs, hesitantly, “we, uh, only allow one visitor to stay the night, if the patient wishes.” He swallowed visibly.  
  
“Understood,” Gibbs said, clearly dismissing the man. He looked at Katherine to see if she had any questions, but she shook her head and waved him out. It was almost 7am, and she was exhausted. She’d done this before, she knew the drill. She was sure the specifics would be explained tomorrow, but today she needed to sleep. As she closed her eyes, she wished Nate was there.  
  
“Nate!” She sat up, suddenly, causing one of the monitors to slip and start beeping annoyingly. She reattached the stupid wire and grabbed Tony’s hand. “I need you to do something for me.”  
  
Gibbs stepped forward, “I can get him, don’t worry.” But she sent him a look that actually made him step back. Tony was shocked, even his looks didn't have that effect. He asked Katherine; “what?”  
  
“Get Abby. Explain what happened. Then you two go to Nate’s games, his ceremony, take video, take pictures, be the best uncle he’s ever had, and cheer loud enough for all of us. When he’s ready to come home, THEN, and only then, tell him what’s going on. I ruined his graduation party, I won’t ruin this.”  
  
“You didn’t ruin anything, Katie,” Gibbs grumbled.  
  
“I feel like I did. So do this for me, please?” Tears were forming behind her eyes. She’d miss his last high school games. She knew he would understand, deep down, but it didn’t make it easier, and he’d still probably blame her or Jethro, at least a little, at first. Tony nodded, patted her hand, then went around the bed to Gibbs. “You call me if you need me, OK?”  
  
Gibbs raised an eyebrow in response. Tony put his hand on his face and rubbed his cheekbone with his thumb. “Anything.” Gibbs didn’t pull away from the touch, and only Tony could feel the slight hitch in his breath. He pulled Gibbs forward just enough to brush their lips together, then released him. After holding his gaze for a moment, Tony pulled on his “funny guy” mask, smiled at the two, and grabbed the curtain. Before leaving, he spun around and said, loud enough for plenty of people to hear, “Now, do I have to leave this curtain open? I don’t want any funny business while I’m gone!” Katherine groaned, Gibbs grumbled in warning, “DiNozzo….” And so he left.  
  
The two didn’t talk for a while. Katherine was doing pretty good at hiding her panic…or so she thought. Jethro was just sitting next to her like an angry bear, ready to pounce on anyone who told him to leave. Tony’s presence had calmed them both, but once he was gone, the tension filled the space.  
  
“Abby’s not gonna be happy.” Gibbs actually was the one to break the silence.  
  
“Nope. I love her, Jethro, I really really do, but…” She rested her head back on the pillow.  
  
“But…?” Jethro sounded suspicious. He was protective, even after Abby had hurt her, and wanted to hear what was going on between them.  
  
“But she’s not what I need right now. She’ll want everything fixed, she’ll hug and hover and try to make everyone better, she’ll bring flowers and balloons and a stuffed walrus or something.”  
  
“And?”  
  
Ah, monosyllabic conversation. How she missed this. But she sighed and continued. “And, I don’t want to be fixed yet. I miss David. I miss Evie. I would probably snap at her, and I don’t want to do that right now. I just need some time to relax.”  
  
Gibbs nodded. “Evie?”  
  
“My daughter.” She kept her eyes focused on her hands, folded in her lap. “I told you I miscarried before. Technically she was considered a 'micro preemie.' She was born alive, but died in my arms.” The side of her bed dipped as she felt Jethro sit next to her. He wrapped his arms around her as best he could and pulled her close. “David was gone…I did too much…it was my fault” She was hiccupping now, trying not to sob.  
  
“Wasn’t your fault. Wasn’t anyone’s fault.” He said into her hair.

She let him hold her for a while, until she felt herself drifting off. The curtain rattled and Ducky peeked his head in. “Jethro?” He motioned to his friend. Gibbs looked at Katherine as she waved him off and curled up, getting as comfortable as possible without setting off any false alarms.

“How are you holding up my boy?”

“I'm fine Duck, shouldn't you be asking her?” Gibbs answered, obviously irritated.

Ducky smiled at him. “I read her chart and spoke with her doctor. I know how she’s doing. His assessment of _your_ state, however, was rather amusing.”

Gibbs bristled. “Well, what does Doogie Howser have to say about me?”

“Nothing of consequence, just a note in the file that the father was showing signs of extreme stress, and to, and I quote, 'approach with caution.’ Now, what did you do to that poor boy to make him think that?”

A smirk crossed his face. “Nothing out if the ordinary, Duck.”

“That, I believe.”

After a moment, Gibbs clenched his jaw, “Why can't they just do this thing today? Right goddamn now?”

Ducky sighed. “They would if they could, but this procedure is not without risk. Right now, it is absolutely the best chance of getting this pregnancy to term, which is why we had it scheduled for 18 weeks, but it cannot be done if there is bleeding. They need to wait 24 hours to reduce the risk of infection. It's all for the best, Jethro.” Ducky placed a hand on his friend's arm.

Gibbs grunted his reply.

“You look exhausted. They should be almost ready to move Ms. McDonough to her room now, which will no doubt have more comfortable seating for you to rest. As your physician, I recommend you take advantage of it.”

When they got to the real room, Ducky was right. They had a recliner he could use, or even a small couch that converted into a bed. “Get some rest,” Katherine told him. “You look like hell.”

“Thanks.”

“Just being honest,” she smiled at him. A weary, but more relaxed smile. _At least we have a plan_ she thought. _Now we just have to get through the next 24 hours._ “If I'm not up, wake me when Abby and Tony and Nate are on their way, please.” Gibbs nodded and she rolled onto her side, facing away from him. He texted Tony, which took a good 4 minutes,

_LJG: Tell me when you leave._

The response was far quicker.

_TD: Wow Bossman! Texting? Why didn't I know you could do that? It's Abby, by the way, Tony has my phone for video. You're in trouble mister. We'll call when we leave._

_LJG: Thanks Abbs._

_TD: Caf-pow?_

_LJG: Cafeteria._

Gibbs settled into the recliner and closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really hoping this is still sounding in character! I appreciate all the feedback :)
> 
> I know Katherine is all over the place, but a) she's pregnant and irrationality isn't uncommon, and b) she's definitely dealing with a lot, and still holding some back from Abby.
> 
> More Nate in the next chapter.


	31. Hospital 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of Katherine's first day in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I pretty much suck at summaries and chapter titles lol

The racket was what woke him first. Gibbs stealthily leapt from his chair and slipped into the hall as Katherine glanced over her reading glasses at him. She sighed and put her crossword down, folding the glasses and placing them on the table beside her bed. “Heeeere’s Abby,” she joked to herself.

Jethro did his best, but in the end Abby dragged Nate into Katherine's room and left him and Tony behind. “You think that's a good idea? They're both pretty worked up,” Tony mused.

“She can handle them.”

The pair sat in the waiting area, not wanting to crowd the small room. “How are you holding up? Not assaulting any doctors while im gone, I hope. I called Vance, and we’re off call until tomorrow. You've got leave for the week.” Tony had taken care of a lot, and Gibbs was more than grateful. He kept his head still, but looked straight at Tony. “Always got your six.” Gibbs nodded his thanks. How did he get so damn lucky?

They sat like that for quite a while. Tony was pretty sure Gibbs had actually fallen asleep, now that someone else was there to 'keep watch.’ How the man could sleep in the most uncomfortable conditions, he’d never know. Until a visibly upset Abby stomped out of the room.

“First I'm left out of everything this morning, now she doesn't want me in the room.” She plopped down on the other side of Gibbs and leaned onto him. He didn't even open his eyes as he lifted his arm and pulled her close.

“She talkin’ to Nate?”

“Yeah. But  _ he _ said it was cool if I stayed.” She kept pouting.

“Abbs, kids come first. Always. Doesn't mean you're any lower on the totem pole than you were yesterday.”

Abby folded her arms across her chest with a *hrmph*. Gibbs just kissed the top of her head and held her for a bit. Tony patted his knee and headed toward the elevator. “Gonna grab some chow, Boss. Abbs?”

“Grab me somethin’” Gibbs said, and Abby nodded.  _ Helpful guys _ , he thought, but let the elevator doors slide shut.

“Gibbs?” Abby started, not moving to look at him.

“Yeah Abbs?”

“I miss it. I miss just being your favorite.”

Gibbs sighed. “Abbs, nobody's a favorite. I treat ya all different, but doesn't mean I like one better than the other.”

“Well, except Tony I hope…” she smiled. He tugged a pigtail.

“You know what I mean. At work.”

“You've been hinky at work. Not just with me, cuz I know I gotta make it all up to you, but with everyone. McGee has been asking if I knew anything, and I don't even know who knows about the baby or you and Tony…” she paused, unsure of where she was going with this

“You don't have to make anything up to me. Ancient history.”

“Oh come on. I did naughty stuff in my office, then I was rude to the mother of your child. And I'm not even doing good at helping and stuff. I just miss how it was.”

Gibbs sighed. “Things change Abbs.” He rested his chin on her head. “You just gotta figure out how to make it work. Youre doin’ a lot better than most people would.”

“Ok, but why are you so quiet at work lately? Like, you don't play favorites, right? So why give Tony a case and then stay quiet even if you knew stuff? I mean, you're quiet anyway, but usually there's grunting and the occasional yelling and stuff.”

He really didn't want to tell her yet. He hadn't even had a chance to talk to Vance yet. “I have my reasons. You'll know soon ok? I promise.”

He felt Abby’s face curl into another pout against his chest, but she didn't push him any more.

*****

Abby stomped out of the room, and Nate rolled his eyes.

“'Omigod mom, I swear I'm more mature than her sometimes.”

Katherine narrowed her eyes at her son. “Hey, she spent all day knowing I was here and she went with Tony anyway. I know she’s not perfect, but neither am I.”

Nate leaned all the way back in his chair, long lanky legs sprawled in front of him. “But she’s  _ whiny _ mom.”

“Pot, meet kettle.” She responded, with a crooked eyebrow.

“Whatever.” He was grumpy.

“Nate, honey...i really wish I could have been there today. I know it's disappointing.” She had always tried to be honest with him about her feelings, even about shortcomings.

He sat straight up at that, anger in his eyes. “You think I'm disappointed? No, I'm pissed!” She flinched. Before she could reprimand him for his language, he continued, “you're here, scared and, I dunno, in pain or whatever, and you didn't let them tell me. You let me play a stupid soccer game and smile and wave and brag about all my friends, when i should have been here. It should have been me holding your hand, not Tony. I get uncle Jethro being here. I mean, it's his stupid fault we're in this mess, but Tony's just his boy toy. I'm the one who's supposed to take care of you. I'm the man of the house.”

“Nathaniel Kelly, sit down. Right now.” She hissed through gritted teeth. She hadn't used that tone with him in years. He sat, indignantly. “First, it is my fault we are here as well, so you can't put this on Jethro. It wasn't some plan of his to seduce me, it happened, and we are both adults, and we are dealing with the good and the bad from it. The good being your new sibling, the bad is,” she waved her hands at the monitors and alarms around her. “Second. Tony is a good man, and a hell of a lot more than a 'boy toy.’ He’s a federal agent who puts away terrorists and murderers for a living, and that deserves a hell of a lot more respect than you just showed. Third. It's not your job to take care of me. I'm the parent. It is my job to care for you. I've been lax on that these past several weeks, and it sucks, but it's still my job.” She tried to stay firm, but she broke a little at the end. He closed his eyes and hung his head.

“Nate, honey, you don't have to protect me. And dont take it out on everyone else. I do enough of that for both of us.”

“Whatever happened to your work friends? That Michelle girl was kinda cool. How come everything changed in like 2 months, just because you got pregnant?”

Katherine sighed. She'd tried to keep in touch with some of her legal friends, but they were never really that close. They just faded away as she eased back her case load, and downright disappeared when she went on leave. “You just liked Michelle cuz she's young and hot.”

Nate smiled, “your point?”

“She prefers men much older and with much bigger bank accounts, honey.” Nate laughed.

“Mom, seriously, if you don't want me protecting you, then you don't have to protect me. Even while I'm at school. I know I'm going, but something happens, please call me, ok?”

She nodded. An acceptable compromise. Then she took a deep breath. “Nate, honey, I need to ask you something.” He leaned closer to her as she continued. “Do you remember, right around when Dad died..” she fiddled with her thumbs. She had trained herself to never fidget in court, but in times of personal stress, she  couldn't sit still.

“Do I remember my sister?” He whispered, tentatively.

“Yeah. What do you remember?”

He chewed his lip. “I was little, so I didn't get it until a lot later, you know? But i remember being so excited I was gonna be a big brother, then dad’s funeral and I spent like a month or more with nanny and papa, then when I came home, she wasn't there either. Nanny told me she went to heaven with dad, but that's it.”

A tear rolled down Katherine's cheek as she nodded. “Is that why you're convinced this one's a girl?” He pursed his lips. “Nah. I mean, maybe, but I just got a feeling.”

He turned back to his mom, “I didn't mean to make you mad, mom. I just know how hard things were after I came home after the baby, I remember how sad you were, and i couldn't take care of you back then. I just don't want that to happen again.” She opened her arms and he rushed to her. “Please let me help.”

She stroked his hair and pulled him so he was sitting next to her on the bed. “Oh sweetheart, I love you so much. Nothing is going to happen to this baby. And we’re not alone in this. I promise we will be ok, no matter what. It won't be like before.”

They hugged for a while, until a nurse cleared her throat behind Nate. “Sorry, I have to check vitals.”

“It's ok, Nate honey, could you gather the crew outside? These chairs might be a bit more comfortable.” He stood and started to leave, but she caught his hand. “And _Be. Nice_.”

*****

Since Tony and Abby had to work the next day, Jethro had to negotiate with Nate on who stayed the night. Thankfully, before it came down to rock paper scissors, a nurse settled the discussion. “No minors after 8pm. Sorry son, your dad will have to take you home.”

“He's not my dad,” Nate mumbled. Katherine squeezed his hand and Abby agreed to take him back to Gibbs's house. Back home.

“Abbs?” Katherine called her back. “Can I have a minute?” She motioned Jethro to the door. He hustled everyone out and she pulled Abby down by her pigtails. “Thank you.”

“For what?” She asked. She hadn't done much, and she already threw a tantrum at Gibbs trying to get the next day off.

“For being you. Being here. Being stubborn.” She pulled Abby closer until their foreheads were touching. “Tomorrow will be fine, and I'll make sure Jethro calls you. Ok?”

Abby nodded and kissed Katherine gently. “Ok.” When the orderly coughed just outside the door, Abby squeezed Katherine tighter and then stood. “Gotta go. Don't let the Bossman think too loud. You'll never get any sleep.” They both chuckled and Abby left, hugging Jethro as she did.

Katherine tried to sleep, but she could tell Jethro wasn't. Abby was right...he did think too loud.


	32. Sniper fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katherine comes home, Gibbs announces his retirement, and the team catches a new case of sniper fire.

“Yes, Abbs, everything is fine. If you don't catch a case, swing by after work. They might want another night of observation, but it went just fine.” Gibbs didn't tell her that the knuckles of his left hand hurt like hell from when they’d given Katherine the epidural, or that he felt like vomiting when he glanced at what they were doing and saw the doctor's hand deep inside her. “ _ You have special tools to do that, don't you?”  _ He’d asked. The doctor responded, in her most reassuring voice, “ _ yes, and I'm using them. We're almost done hon.” _ Katherine had dragged him back to the head of the table, and no more was said.

They were forced to stay another night. Any other time, and they'd both protest, but not now. The baby was ok, everything would be fine. Just 10 more weeks until they'd breathe a lot easier, and 20 until the stitches came out and the baby would be considered almost ‘full term.’ Evie was born at 26 weeks, and back then, that was a death sentence. Nowadays, though, it was considered an age of viability. The doctors could simulate the womb well enough, and treat the baby, and something like 85% of babies born at that age survive. Not without problems, but it was one step toward breathing easier.

Abby and Tony had stayed with Nate both nights. He called Tony a 'boy toy’ once more, but this time in jest, and Tony took it with grace, immediately wrestling him into a head lock and giving him a noogie any big brother would be proud of. Katherine smiled when she heard the tale. These boys were good for each other. Ok, Tony wasn't a boy, but he acted like one sometimes, and maybe he'd be that kind of figure for Nate. A big brother he could go to for things he couldn't ask his mom or gruff and serious uncle.

In the weeks that followed, she noticed something between Tony and Jethro. Tension she hadn't seen before, except when she first moved in, before Jethro had admitted how he felt. Jethro had gone back to being hesitant with his affection, pausing before kisses, starting to approach Tony from behind, but changing direction and simply going about his task, instead of the easy draping of fingers across Tony's back or waist that he used to do. She could tell Tony noticed it too, and was starting to be affected. He wasn't spending quite as much time at the house anymore, and when he was, he doted on Nate, mostly, then her. He never pulled back from a touch, but whenever he initiated contact, instead of lustful or loving eyes, it was like he was looking for something in Jethro. A reason for his withdrawal.

“He loves you, you know,” Katherine said one night, sharing the couch with Jethro.

“I'm having dejavu,” he responded.

Katherine sighed, “I know, talking is not your forte, but I'm BORED, and talking is what I do. Indulge me.”

He rolled his eyes, but didn't stop her.

“What's going on in that thick headed skull of yours?” He started to retreat toward the kitchen, but she raised a hand. “Ooooooohhhhhh, no you don't. I can talk to Tony about this, if you'd rather…”

“It's none of your business.” He glared at her.

“Jethro, I'm a lawyer. I stick my nose into other people's business. It's what I do. You're dealing with something, and not telling him. So tell me.” She gave him the most innocent look she could manage.

He laughed. Innocent she was not. “You're nosy.”

She smiled back. “Yes. But with good intentions. Come on!”

“Abby is wearing off on you. You're whining.” But he came back to the couch and sat down. Katherine smiled in victory.

“Tony and I haven’t had sex.”

Katherine was confused. “Um...you seem to forget that there is a reason you've added a layer of sheetrock to your bedroom walls?”

He looked at her pointedly. “That's different. We haven't…” he paused, just long enough for Katherine to save him.

“Ah, just hands and mouths. Yeah, that's a big step for a lot of people. But Jethro, you know you love him, what's stopping you?” Katherine decided not to mention that hands and mouths sounded pretty damn good right about now. Bed rest sucked.

Jethro looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “I've never done it before.”

“With a man, you mean,” she clarified. He winced slightly. “But it's not any different from a woman’s back door, so…” the look he gave her stopped that thought.

“Wait, you mean you've never had anal at all?”

“No.”

“But why? I mean, I figured most people at least give it a shot at some point…” He started looking grumpier.

“Ok, ok. I see why it's an issue. But really, let me tell you, it's kindof awesome, with the right partner.”

“And I don't know what the hell I'm doing.” He didn't want to hurt Tony. And Tony was sometimes too easy on him to say exactly what he needed.

“So, let him take control.” She said it like it was no big deal. When there was no response, she sighed. “Yes, I know what I just said. But think about it. He’s done this before, he knows what to do, and frankly, it's even better for men than women.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And just how do you know that?”

She smiled broadly, “I told David if he wanted to top me, I got to do it to him first. He liked it so much we did it fairly often. My big bad Marine…” oh damnit, this was not helping her situation. Thinking of her husband beneath her, riding the strap on she had purchased while he was deployed…

Gibbs stood up to leave, but he had a smile on his face. He noticed her wistful face. “I'll leave you to your thoughts, goodnight.”

She held out her hand for help up. “You're evil.”

*****

Gibbs had filed his papers with Vance, but it was time to tell the whole team. He still had 6 more weeks before he left. Ducky was the first to know, of course.

“Boss, what's up?” Mcgee asked as he and Bishop joined the rest of the team in the conference room.

“Sit.” They both did so, no more questions. “I'm retiring. Tony will be taking over the team, effective immediately. I've got 6 more weeks to make sure you've learned your lesson from last time, and to help him pick a new probie. McGee, you're SFA, starting today.”

“But Boss... what...I mean why?”

Gibbs smiled. Actually smiled. Not a sarcastic smirk. He took a deep breath and took Tony’s hand in his. “Rule 12.”

McGee expected a squeal from Abby, but none came. That meant…”you knew?”

She fidgeted. “They swore me to secrecy, Tim. You gotta believe me. If it weren't for Katherine and the baby, I never woulda--” she slapped her hands over her mouth and looked at Gibbs. “Oops…”

Gibbs smiled as everyone looked at him. “Yeah, I'm retiring for 2 reasons.”

Tony grinned almost as wide. “Mr. Mom.”

The conference room was full of hugs and laughter, and everyone laughed at the slap Gibbs laid to the back of Tony's head, but it had been worth it. Everyone knew.

*****

Five more weeks. Five more weeks. Tony was rubbing his temples to ward off the headache he felt creeping into his skull. Gibbs had already scared off two probies, and number 3 wasn't faring much better. He stood up and motioned to Gibbs to join him in the elevator, both of them ignoring the whistles and raised eyebrows. This wouldn't take long enough for them to speculate.

“What the hell, Jethro? This is supposed to be MY team. Stop scaring off MY probies.”

“I don't trust them to watch your six.”

“You barely trust McGee to watch my six, you're not gonna trust ANY probie. At least let me get to know them before you make them piss their pants.” Anger flashed behind his eyes. “Unless you don't think I'm capable of choosing someone who will compliment this team?”

Gibbs growled. “That's not my issue, you know that.”

“No, I don't. You've been distant for a while. Is it because of this? Because of rule 12? Chasing bad guys has been your life for so long, are you resenting me already for making you leave?”

Gibbs stepped into his space. “No.”

“Then what's going on? Not just at work.” His voice dropped, and Gibbs caught his neck in his hand.

“It's not your fault. I just don't like change. I'll get over it.”

Tony knew there was more, but he wouldn't get it out of him at work.

“Ok. But leave Probie3 alone for a while, ok? She’s good. Let me figure out if she’s good enough.”

Gibbs nodded. It didn't help that probie3 was young and brunette and flirted with DiNozzo out of nervousness. They hadn't divulged their relationship to the probies, so as far as she knew, Tony was an eligible bachelor, and aside from being her superior, wasn't off limits. DiNozzo should have canned her the minute she thought flirting with him would help, but he was convinced she was just nervous and would get over it. Gibbs just growled at that.

As the elevator started up again, Tony's phone rang. “DiNozzo. . . . .really Fornell? You're joking. Here, tell Gibbs.” He passed the phone to Gibbs and stormed off the elevator.

“Grab your gear. FBI’s calling us in. Sniper fire on base.”

“Why is the FBI involved?” Bishop asked as she locked her desk and slid in behind McGee as they headed back to the elevator for the garage.

“They've had a similar case across DC. Only bringing us in because the perp shot at navy personnel this time. Fornell didn't want to admit he needed our 'expert’ advice. He glanced o er his shoulder at Gibbs as he handed him back his phone. “How’s Toby?”

Gibbs didn't respond, just plucked the keys from Tony’s hand and beat them to the elevator.

Unsurprisingly, Gibbs said nothing on the way over. Tony, however, noticed there was something wrong. Something Fornell must have said. “What's up?” He whispered. Gibbs ignored him.  _ Great, we’re not talking now _ . He folded his arms and realized he looked very much like a pouting teenager.  _ Whatever. _

*****

The scene was gruesome, but not much worse than their normal caseload. What was scary was when Fornell read them in on the rest of the case. This sniper was good. Really good. He or she had been picking off people from around the DC/Maryland/Virginia area for 3 weeks. They'd kept it from the media as best they could, but that wasn't going to last long. There would be mass panic. Even their BAU was having trouble finding this “unsub.” But Tony realized why Gibbs had been so quiet after getting off the phone with Fornell when he heard the shorter agent say “my own expert is on his way from Quantico. Maybe between the two of you, we can catch this son of a bitch.”

An FBI sniper expert from Quantico.

Gibbs’s eyes shot up to where Tony was standing. Yeah, he knew who it would be. Of course, why not? That's how Tony's life was going lately. Gibbs was getting all commitment-shy, and in walks the guy he’d lusted over when he was married. Why wouldn't he lust after him now?

A few hours later, they gathered in MTAC. The BAU was on the screen, Fornell and DiNozzo’s team were talking, and Edgerton stood in the back with Gibbs. About 8” away from each other, side by side, arms folded.

“Retiring, Gunny?”

Gibbs nodded. “It's time.”

“You've gotten better. I've seen some of your work.”

Gibbs half smiled. He was fishing for compliments. Gibbs obliged. “Not as good as you. You're what, 3rd in the country?”

Ian puffed his chest slightly. “Would've been second. Damn fly.” A bug had flown in front of his bullet at his last competition, diverting the air flow just enough...he’d been a millimeter off his nearest competitor, which bumped him down to 3rd. “Next time.”

Tony kept watching the two. Two peas in a pod. No wonder Gibbs had found him attractive, and no doubt he’d aged well. Tony couldn't help but picture him in compromising positions. He really hoped they were just talking about the case.

“That your new boss?” Ian motioned toward Tony. “He doesn't seem to appreciate our private discussion. The rest of them know I work alone. Does he?”

Gibbs smirked. Tony was jealous. “Yeah, he was my SFA. Since it's against NCIS protocol to date subordinates, I had to step down.”

Ian raised an eyebrow. “Well, good for you. Honestly, never thought you'd actually go for it.”

“Not married now.”

“Yeah,” Ian scoffed, “I heard an earful about your reputation from Tobias. He certainly is attractive. And if you're promoting him, he must be good in the office. What about in bed?” He nudged Gibbs with an elbow. Gibbs set his jaw.

“Oh shit, you haven't tapped that? We gotta solve this one quick. If you want some help getting him warmed up, I'd love the honor.”

Gibbs growled and glared at him, turning to face the slightly smaller man. “Leave him alone.”

Ian chuckled, “Leroy, if he’s yours, you don't have to worry about what I do or say.” It was an unspoken challenge. He sure was a cocky bastard.


	33. Their first time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Gibbs meet in the elevator, and Tony confronts Gibbs in the basement later.
> 
> Gibbs makes a decision on their first time. 
> 
> NSFW.

Tony was not happy. They'd made some progress in the case, and he was actually liking working with Agent Hotchner, but he didn't like the attitude emanating from Agent Edgerton. “What's up with him?” He asked.

Aaron didn't even have to look up to know who Tony was talking about. “He doesn't like when someone is outsmarting him. Just like the rest of us.”

“Do you work with him a lot?” Tony was curious.

“No. He’s mostly an instructor and tracker. Fornell's team brought him in. It HAS helped. None of us were trained like him, and I'm certain our unsub has the same training, or at least similar.”

Tony had to admit, he and Jethro had made a good team. They'd been able to get a lot closer than Fornell had been before, and found where the unsub had been hiding out. Unfortunately, he wasn't there. The two of them were poring over a map together, shoulders touching, Ian occasionally brushing his arm against Jethro’s as he pointed toward something. Tony couldn't help but bristle.

Ian had tried to flirt with him first. He could see how tempting it was, those deep brown eyes, the slick black hair, the unnerving smile. He was skilled in the art of flirtation, almost as good as Tony. He was smart and made Tony feel like everything he thought of was Tony's idea. And if Jethro was a little jealous, then so be it.

Tony did smile initially, flirting back just a bit, but quickly realized just how tempting he could be. He was like a more outgoing and slightly manipulative version of Jethro. That appealed to Tony, and it scared him, so he gave him the cold shoulder. Colder than was professional, probably, but oh well. When Gibbs seemed to grin like a damn Cheshire cat over this? Tony turned his back there too. He's not some toy to be fought over, or some prize to brag about to your buddies.

In the end, it was Jethro's gut that led them to a discharged marine who had developed symptoms of schizophrenia after coming back from Afghanistan. If he had those symptoms while he was there, nobody noticed. Everyone there was afraid of unseen enemies. They found him setting up another shot and managed to contain him before an 8th person was killed.

When the case was complete, they were exhausted and relieved. Everyone went their separate ways, and Tony was offered a position at the BAU if he ever tired of NCIS. He thanked Hotch sincerely, but pulled McGee to his side and said “can't leave my team, chief. Gotta train McGee to be team lead when I go in another decade or two.”

McGee let his mouth hang open just a little. _Me? Team lead?_ “Uh, thanks Boss.”

Ian tried to slip out unnoticed, but Jethro joined him in the elevator. Unfortunately, Tony was the one to see that. _Oh, that's coming up tonight_ . He thought. _If he's trying to slip away… And Gibbs is slipping in with him..._

“So, Marine...how’s it going with your boy?” Ian asked when the doors closed.

Gibbs smiled “he didn't take to _you_ too well”

Ian half smiled. He was well aware his charms had been wasted on the younger man, and it irritated him. “Doesn't change the fact that you're too uptight to nail him into the mattress.” Gibbs flinched at that.

Ian sighed in exasperation. “Either you have to trust that he'll tell you if you're going to fast, or you let him show you how it's done. Or…” he turned to face Gibbs and got closer “I could have that honor.” Gibbs saw the want on his face, and it made his heart beat faster. He didn't want Ian, but being this close to the first man he'd ever thought about? His body reacted before his brain.

“I can tell at least part of you is interested.” Ian took a big risk and brushed his groin against Gibbs's. Gibbs suppressed his groan and  turned it into a growl as he pushed the agent back against the wall of the elevator. Ian mistook the action for acceptance and ground his hips forward until Gibbs's hand pushed him back and Gibbs stepped into the center of the elevator.

“No. I'll take your advice, but not your offer. Go home, Ian.” Edgerton pushed himself off the wall and nodded. “Fair enough. If you two ever want a third, though...call me.” He passed Gibbs his card, but Gibbs just brushed past him as the doors opened. “Thanks. But I'm good with two.”

When he returned to the bullpen, Tony’s eyes were narrowed, searching. Gibbs focused on the reports that needed to be written. He stayed later than all of them, making busy work for himself. Even Tony left before him, but Gibbs didn't say anything to him until he was halfway out the door.

“Comin’ over tonight?”

Tony stopped, without turning, “do you want me to?”

Gibbs felt his heart crack just a little. “Always, Tony. Yes.”

Tony looked over his shoulder and nodded, then went on his way.

*****

Katherine was on the couch when Gibbs got home. “How did it go? Tony’s in the basement..what did you do? He’s none too happy.”

Gibbs sighed and sat next to her. “Shy do you assume it was me?” She responded with one eyebrow cocked high on her forehead. “Fine. Ian was the FBI’s counterpart to me on this one.”

She gasped, “you mean, like, 'hand-job-in-the-dirt’ Ian?”

“Yeah.”

“He came on to you?” Judging by Tony's slumped shoulders and mumbled greeting earlier, she knew the answer to that one.

“Yeah. Came on to Tony first. Guess he was trying to test us, and hoped he'd get something if we failed.”

“Bastard.” She didn't like him anyway. At the very least, he was opportunistic and lacked some of Jethro's morals.

“Yeah. He’s usually ok overall, but he certainly overdid it this time.”

“Usually?” She looked at him suspiciously.

“I've worked with him before. Don't give me that look, people with our training aren't a dime a dozen. Guess he thought he never woulda had a shot until he found out about Tony. He's a little jealous I didn't call him if I needed something more 'manly’ to hold onto.”

Katherine smirked and clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, enough avoiding Tony. Nate is sleeping over at a friend’s, and Abby is coming over. Dr. Mallard said I should be ok to go and sit on her couch and bed for the evening, so...have fun.” She winked at him. “Take care of him, Jethro.”

“No funny business with Abby.” He warned.

“Thanks _Dad_.” She said, sarcastically. “Abby's been getting advice from the nuns on celibacy, I think we'll be fine.”

Gibbs sighed and went to collect a new bottle of bourbon before descending the stairs to the basement.

*****

Tony paced around the boat. It wasn't like Jethro had done anything wrong. Edgerton’s cologne was strong, he’d know if Jethro had more than a momentary encounter with him. But he HAD smelled it on him. Just briefly, but more than Edgerton's slight arm brushes and hip bumps. Nobody had kissed, no clothing was tussled, he trusted Jethro in that. If Jethro was anything, he was faithful. But what HAD happened? Why did Jethro ignore him after they closed this case? The FBI went back to their offices to finish paperwork, they finished paperwork, but Jethro wouldn't even make eye contact.

Tony slammed back another shot of bourbon. He wasn't normally a bourbon person, but that's what was here. Jethro had been pulling back lately. _Why?_ What was going on? If it was something he’d done, he sincerely hoped Jethro would tell him. At first, he was content to let his lover figure it out on his own. Pushing him never helped anything, and often made things worse. But now it was too much. He needed to know.

He heard the door open and shut, heard soft footsteps go toward the living room and sit down. _Katherine._ He knew she was up there, and that she'd probably run interference. He sighed and waited.

Soon enough, the third step creaked under Gibbs’s shoe. “Hey Boss,” Gibbs said, noting Tony’s hand running over the empty jar on his workbench. He held out the new bottle, “need more?”

Tony smirked and showed him the not-quite-empty bottle behind to him “nah, I'm pacing myself.”

Gibbs nodded and strode right up to the bench, reaching around Tony to set the bottle next to its open counterpart. He let his hand slide across Tony's waist as he pulled his hand back, and Tony stiffened. He hated that. Tony hadn't pulled away from a touch or tensed under his fingers except in orgasm in several months now.

“Tone,...” he started, but all he could do was splay his hand across the muscled torso in front of him.

“Jethro,” Tony asked, roughly, “what's going on? What happened today in the elevator?”

It was Gibbs's turn to tense up. “Nothing. Edgerton offered his services if we ever wanted a third. He got a little pushy, I had to set him right.”

Tony accepted this answer for now. Jethro may not tell him everything right away, but he wasn't a liar. “And before the case?” His tone was still slightly harsh, with a pang of hurt to it.

Gibbs didn't know how to respond. He couldn't hurt Tony. He wanted him so badly, but he was too good at hurting people emotionally, and sometimes he could get carried away in bed too. His ex-wives had never complained in the moment, but he’d noticed they sometimes were pained after the fact. What he wanted from Tony was possibly so much easier to injure…

He lifted his eyes to Tony, who did not miss the lust in them. He pushed toward Gibbs and felt how much he wanted him. “Upstairs,” he growled at Tony. Tony almost declined. He wanted to figure out what was wrong, not fuck it away. But then again, Jethro hadn't been this excited since he started acting funny, so he didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. Tony bounded up the stairs behind Gibbs.

Katherine was just leaving when they reached the top of the stairs. She hugged them both and waved. “God, they need to get laid,” she joked to Abby out of the corner of her mouth. Abby snickered, “wish we had surveillance in their bedroom!”

As soon as the front door closed, Tony couldn't wait. He pushed into Jethro quickly until he was flat against the wall. He began kissing him roughly. Lately, because of his withdrawal, Tony had been gentle and loving. _Forget it_ , he thought. _He's mine._ He couldn't get the image of Edgerton brushing his hand across Gibbs's arm out of his head. His tongue swiped across Gibbs’s lips, demanding entry. When he moaned, Tony pushed harder, possessing his mouth. He could feel his lover harden beneath him. “Yes, Tony,” Gibbs panted, and Tony grabbed him by the belt loops and dragged him upstairs, doing his best to keep kissing him the whole way.

When they got to the bedroom, shedding shirts, belts, and socks in the process, Gibbs stopped, staring at the bed. His heart was beating frantically. Tony stood behind him, now completely naked. He reached around his lover and unbuttoned his pants, reaching inside to feel how hard he’d gotten. “God, Jethro, it's been too long.” He whispered into his ear, making Gibbs's cock twitch. If he was going to let Tony do this, he needed to give up control. Now was as good a time as any, so he let Tony fondle him from behind. He grabbed Tony's hips and pressed his ass onto Tony's rock hard cock behind him, hoping that Tony would get the hint. If he did, he didn't mention it.

Tony slowly pushed Jethro's pants over his hips and spun him around, moaning when their hips ground together. “What do you want, Jethro?” He whispered into his ear. He never wanted to push his lover, and had gotten used to asking. But Jethro didn't respond, at least not verbally. He pulled Tony into a kiss and walked backwards toward the bed until his knees hit the edge. He didn't stop there, though. He fell backwards, pulling Tony on top of him. Tony took full advantage, pressing Jethro into the mattress, pushing his hands above his head, dominating his mouth. Whatever Jethro had in mind, Tony was not going to let him forget how much he was wanted. How much he was needed.

Then Jethro pulled his hand away from Tony. Just his hand, though. Tony held his eyes until he heard the drawer to the nightstand open. A flash of uncertainty slipped into Jethro's face, but Tony kissed it away. He knew what was in that nightstand. He’d put it there weeks ago, telling Gibbs it was 'for whenever.’ They rolled higher onto the bed and Tony took the small tube from his hand, tossing it down by his thigh without even looking.

He never took his eyes away from Gibbs's. He pressed his body against Jethro's full length, pinning their hard cocks together between them. He always assumed Jethro would be the one to take him their first time, so he didn't want to move prematurely. They ground against each other, moaning, writhing, until Jethro hooked a leg around Tony's hips. Tony stopped moving and buried his head in his lover's neck, groaning at the movement. He angled himself so he could touch between Gibbs's legs, and his lips and teeth traveled the whole of Jethro's neck. Nipping, licking, sucking, he loved driving his lover wild. Except this time, his hands had a mission. He cupped his balls, stroking them, reveling in their heavy weight in his hand. His fingers strayed further and further back, until he felt the sensitive ring of Jethro's ass. As he brushed it for the first time, he felt him tense.

“You never answered. Is this what you want?” Tony met those beautiful blue eyes. A moment of hesitation passed quickly before his face changed. He smiled that crooked, mischievous smile, and said “ya think?”

Tony wiped that smile off his face real quick, by slipping a lubed finger inside him without warning. He arched his back and gasped. “Jethro, you've got to relax, baby.” Tony was coaching him down. He slid his finger in and out slowly, easily. He knew he wouldn't even try to touch his prostate until he was fully seated inside, but he wanted Gibbs to get used to some of the sensations. The feel of skin pushing into him and pulling out, the feel of just having something inside him.

Tony started to kiss his way down Jethro's body, but as he passed his nipples and his tongue grazed his navel, Jethro’s fingers cupped his jaw. “No. Stay up here with me.”

“It might be easier if I suck you,” Tony said honestly.

“Stay with me.” Jethro held his eyes and kissed him deeply. With that, Tony slipped a second finger with his first, barely grazing the surface of the prostate, making Gibbs shudder beneath him. “Holy fuck, Tony.” And other similar epithets were soon the only words emanating from his lips. He was begging Tony to touch his leaking cock, dripping precum onto his belly, but Tony wouldn't oblige. Not yet.

When a third finger pushed into him, he grabbed Tony's arm, “wait… Wait…” he was panting and Tony froze. “Did I hurt you?” His eyes went wide, but Jethro didn't open his.

“No. Definitely not.” he smiled again, with a blush, and his grip relaxed. “I'm too damn old for what almost happened.” Tony grinned. Who knew he could have made the great and powerful Gibbs cum with just three fingers in his ass? And then he started moving again, turning Gibbs's smile into a gasp. God, he wanted to plunge into him, to take what was _his_. But he took his time, slowly thrusting until he was certain Jethro was ready.

Jethro groaned when Tony pulled his fingers from inside him. But he quickly realized what that meant. “Jet, you sure?” Tony asked, and Gibbs growled. “Stop asking, Tony.” They'd already discussed protection, and since they hadn't been with anyone a while and both had perfect bills of health from their physicals, they decided it wasn't necessary. So Tony reached for the lube again.

“Let me.” Jethro said, sitting up and taking the tube from Tony's hands. Tony leaned back and closed his eyes as Jethro warmed the gel in his hands, and gently slid them onto Tony's waiting cock. He stroked and coated his length as Tony rocked back and forth, until he couldn't wait any longer. Tony grabbed his hands and pushed Jethro onto his back, hooking one leg over his shoulder. He guided the head of his cock to Jethro’s hole and paused, leaning close to his ear. “I'm bigger than those fingers...just relax and let me in. Trust me.”

Jethro nodded and tried to relax. Tony pushed into him and he whimpered at the burn, but Tony kept going. Kept pushing. Just when he was about to tell him to stop, he already had. Tony was on top of him, controlling his breathing, waiting. He could tell there was more to go, but Tony wasn't moving. “Tony,” Jethro whispered, but Tony shook his head, biting his lip. “I’M too old to just…” and Jethro kissed him, hard.

“Move.” He ordered.

Tony grinned, “pushy bottom.” And move he did. Tony pushed in slowly until he felt his balls flat against Jethro's ass. He paused briefly, making sure his lover was ok, but judging by the arched back and dripping precum, Tony didn't wait too long. He started slow but felt Jethro's hands gripping his hips, pulling him into him, harder and faster. They’d had their share of gentle touching, and Gibbs pleaded, “Come on Tony, I want to feel you.” Tony obliged, changing his angle to ensure he was hitting Jethro's prostate.

The first time Tony’s cock pressed that amazingly sensitive organ, Jethro threw his head back and yelled. He remembered Katherine's gentle touches their night together, but this was completely different. It brought him to another level of arousal he'd never experienced before. He fisted Tony’s hair and yanked him into a punishing kiss, using his other hand to put Tony’s grip on his cock. Tony squeezed and Jethro bit his lip. He started timing his strokes with his thrusting, and Jethro's balls almost immediately pulled up close to his body.

“Fuck, Tony!” Jethro gasped. He felt the familiar pull in his gut and begged Tony to pump harder, faster. He  couldn't imagine it had taken over half a century to feel this fucking good. “Cum with me Tony, I wanna hear you” he grunted out, knowing it was coming fast. Tony;s flushed face and sweat dampened hair told him he was damn close too, and Gibbs came. Tony let go of his cock and pressed into him, thrusting faster, feeling the hot pulsing between them, Kissing his lover hard as he moaned his release. Feeling him tighten around him, hearing him moan and call his name brought Tony over the edge, spilling deep inside the man he loved, his name on his lips.

They stayed like that for longer than they should, until Jethro started laughing. Uncontrollable, face-straining, belly bouncing laughter. Tony was confused, but he couldn't help it. He joined in the laughter, dropped his head into the pillows, and gently slipped himself from Jethro, the two of them gasping at the loss. Finally, Tony contained himself long enough to ask, “what's so damn funny?”

“We’re gonna get stuck…” Jethro managed to get out. He didn't know why it was so funny. He never laughed like this.

“Endorphins.” Tony smiled. “You're high as a kite. Apparently I'm your drug of choice.”

Jethro kissed him. The lust was gone, he just needed to taste him. “Seems like I may be addicted. Let’s shower before we do get glued together.”

“We gonna talk about things?” Tony asked, pulling back just a little. He wasn't letting Jethro off the hook on this.

“Yes,” Jethro gave a resigned sigh. “After the shower?”

Tony narrowed his eyes, but nodded. Twenty minutes wouldn't hurt. “You might need to borrow some of my turtlenecks for a while…” he licked the marks he'd left across Jethro's shoulders and neck.

“Nope.” A serious look on his face, Jethro touched one of the larger marks on his throat. “I'm yours, Tony. Doesn't matter who knows it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They'll talk soon, I just ran out of steam after that scene ;)


	34. Talking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They talk that night and the next morning.

Tony let Jethro into the bathroom first. “Join me?” He’d asked. Tony agreed, but waited. He remembered the first time he'd had sex, he liked having a little privacy to clean up and make sure he wasn't hurt. He gave Gibbs that same privacy, whether he needed it or not.

“Come on DiNozzo, don't wanna waste the hot water.”

 _Ok, never mind on the privacy,_ he thought. _Of course Gibbs has no sense of personal space._

Tony joined Jethro in the shower, and they washed each other as if they'd been doing it for years. Tony paying special attention to the love bites he’d added to Jethro’s skin earlier, and Jethro choosing to add a few of his own, just so his reputation didn't suffer, of course.

When they were clean and dry and snuggled tightly in each other's arms once again, Tony asked. “So. Can we talk about what's been going on for a while now?”

Jethro nuzzled the back of Tony's neck. “It's fine now.”

Tony pulled away from him and rolled over. “Jethro, no, you don't get to do that. I may be a hell of a lot different from your ex wives, but you still need to actually talk to me sometimes.”

Jethro blinked a few times, but finally admitted what had been on his mind. “I wanted to make love to you, but I didn't know how. I didn't want to hurt you, and I didn't know how to ask for what we just did.”

Tony was torn. He actually wanted to laugh because it was so ridiculous. But there was something else there, and if he laughed, Jethro would close up. “Jethro, that can't be it.”

“Why? Why can't it be that? You think I don't know what's going on in my own head? I'm not senile, you know.” He was getting defensive.

Tony placed a hand on his cheek. “If it was just sex, it wouldn't have been a problem. You know I'm not inexperienced or hesitant to get into bed. I know you've bedded women fairly quickly into your relationships. We agreed to take it slower, but neither of us are shy about our needs. What else is rattling around in this noggin?” He tapped Jethro between the eyes.

When he didn't get a response, he tapped again. With a smirk this time. He got a grumble in response.

“Frankly, anyone I've taken to bed in the past 20 years has been cuz I find them attractive, and that's about it. Sure, I've cared about most of them, maybe even loved some of 'em to an extent. But not like this. Foolin’ around is one thing, Tony. But taking you to bed? That's a whole different ball game.”

He dropped his eyes. Tony pulled him forward and kissed his forehead. Then gently tapped the back of his head. “Not goin’ anywhere.”

“Can't promise that. The way we work? The way you'll be working without me on your six? I love you. I'll always love you. But this? This…” he trailed off. He didn't know how to say it.

“It's real.” Tony finished. “It's like a teenager 'sealing the deal,’ right?”

Jethro’s eyes shot up.

“Not that you're like a teenager, Boss, or that it's a game or conquest or something,” Tony backpedaled quickly, then dropped his voice again, “but that it's a big step and kind of a symbol of making this...us...real.”

Jethro relaxed and nodded. “And when I have something real, I tend to lose it. Or destroy it.”

Tony smiled as sweetly as he could, which was pretty sticky sweet, gave Jethro his biggest 'puppy dog' eyes, and said “hon, this was real _way_ before I nailed you to the mattress and made you scream.”

Jethro snorted. “Nice. Ruin the moment.”

“Made ya smile, though. Doesn't happen enough, you know.”

Then Jethro smiled. A genuine smile. “Happens more with you.”

“Cuz I'm cute,” Tony replied and wiggled up to his lover. “And I'm not leaving. This is real, and it's gonna last. I'm a DiNozzo, and DiNozzos don't quit.”

Jethro sighed and stroked Tony’s back. _If only you could be sure of that_. It wasn't just the sex. He didn't want to hurt Tony, that much was true. But he’d really just made a mental block that said that once he and Tony made love, it would make their relationship different. It would open him up to a world of pain if he ever lost Tony. And getting closer to him meant he'd be closer to hurting him.

It was all bullshit of course. Whether they made love or not, he couldn't bear to lose Tony. And he knew he could hurt him. Probably would hurt him. The sex was just an excuse to avoid his own hangups.

Tony feigned sleep for a while. He knew Jethro could tell, but he usually fell asleep anyway. 

 _He wants me._ He couldn't believe it. For the past several weeks, he'd felt like Jethro had been gearing up to ditch him, just like everyone else in his life, but he was wrong. He'd said this was real. Love he hadn't had in 20 years. Tony knew what he meant, and his heart swelled with love too. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was not a liar. If he said this was real, then it was. It wasn't just a crutch to deal with his later-in-life fatherhood, or trying to cling to his work through Tony after he retires. It's real.

 _Screw you, Edgerton. He's mine._ Tony pulled Jethro closer and sighed, finally letting himself fall asleep. He didn't feel the smile that settled on Jethro's lips before he fell asleep just after.

*****

Tony woke to an empty bed and the smell of extra strong coffee brewing in the kitchen. It was something he was getting used to already. He padded, zombie-like, to the bathroom and was immediately grateful he put on his boxers, as Nate barreled down the stairs, shouting “hey uncle Tony!” Over his shoulder.

 _Uncle Tony?_ Huh. Had a nice ring to it. “Wait, I thought you were…” and he was out the door already. Maybe he dreamt it. Tony rubbed his eyes and yawned.

He got ready for the day, and headed downstairs, grabbing the one box of sugary cereal in Jethro's cupboard, and trying to stomach the coffee before they had to head to work. Jethro stepped behind his chair and laid a hand on his shoulder, leaning to kiss his neck and earlobe.

“Keep that up, and we won't make it to work,” Tony warned. Jethro chuckled and stepped back with one last lick. Tony rearranged himself in his pants and glared. “Tease.”

Jethro refilled his coffee and sat across from Tony, a smile on his face. “This is good.”

“Well, I would hope so...you made it” Tony commented, cringing at his next sip. There wasn't enough hazelnut creamer in the world to make this 'good.’

“Not the coffee. _This._ ”

 _Oh great, cryptic conversation._ Jethro obviously was having an epiphany, but his style of 'talking’ usually took Tony a while to interpret.

Thankfully, he got right to the point. “Move in with me, Tony.”

Tony started coughing and felt coffee come out his nose as Jethro jumped up and started thwacking his back. When he caught his breath, he looked at Jethro with astonishment. “Not 8 hours ago, you're telling me you're afraid of getting too serious because you don't want to lose me, now you want to jump to living together?”

Jethro knelt by him, still rubbing his back. “ _Was_ afraid. Past tense, Tony. I fully intend to prove to you that you're mine for good.”

Tony sat back in his chair. “J, that's big. And you've got a full house. And a baby on the way. I'm not opposed, but maybe it’s not the right time yet?” His heart melted at the hurt Jethro tried to hide as he stood. “Listen,” he took his hand, “I'm saying yes. But you've got more details to figure out than you would have 6 months ago. Besides, where is my big screen gonna go? My DVD collection? My piano? Plus, I'm a package deal...Ziva and Kate need their space too.” He grinned. That big, goofy, kind-hearted, disarming grin that made Jethro swoon every damn time.

Jethro smiled back. “May need to add on.” He pulled Tony into a kiss, brushed his hand across his chest and stomach, then grabbed his wrist...to check his watch. “Gotta go. Boss hates when I'm late.”

Tony faux-snarled and snapped his teeth at him. “You're awful!” But he grabbed his travel mug, dumped his 'coffee’ into it, rinsed his mug, and stormed out to his car. Jethro did the same, smiling as he watched Tony have to hitch his pants again, so they didn't get caught on the bulge he’d left with his kiss.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your comments! I was debating on doing a chapter on Nate's day, fairly unrelated to the plot, but I just started with him running out the door, and kept going...what do you all think?
> 
> Once he goes to college this week, I'll be skipping several weeks, I think. Closer to baby time :)


	35. Nate's friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate has a fun day with his friends, gets a date, then has a family dinner.

Nate grabbed his gear from his room and almost knocked Tony down the stairs on his way out. “Hey Uncle Tony!” he shouted and bombed out the door to the running car on the street. He and 2 of his buddies were going to drive an hour away to the Leesburg YMCA where Alyssa coached the preschoolers. This was an AWESOME idea.

The 1997 Civic spun its tires as his friend hit the gas. “Geez, man, let’s get there in one piece.”

“I wanna see if she’s got some hot friends!” Nate and his friend Steven rolled their eyes. Of the three of them, Jack was the ‘jock’ type, always trying to act older than he was. Leather jackets, lots of cussing, he’d even tried to start smoking before Nate crushed the pack. Steven was the runt, the geek, and Nate was the ‘nice’ one. They were very different, but somehow worked great as a team, on and off the field. Jack could act cocky, even threaten Steven with noogies and wedgies, but if anyone else talked to him like that? They were in for a world of hurt. If it wasn’t for Steven, Jack probably wouldn’t have graduated. He was smart, but liked to pretend he wasn’t; it didn’t fit his ‘bad boy’ image.

The boys listened to their music a little too loud, whooping and laughing a little too much. They were all going their separate ways next week, and definitely did NOT want to think about it. Steven was accepted to Princeton on an academic scholarship, and had made their soccer team—barely. Nate was going to Ohio State. Katherine hadn’t told Tony where he was going yet, but  _ he _ planned on doing it tonight. The guy was gonna FLIP. Especially since he was there on an athletic scholarship, just like he had been, just a different sport. Jack didn’t apply to college. He took the entrance exam for the Annapolis PD, and passed, but was debating on joining the military. He was thinking air force, and it helped that Nate thought it was good for him.

Finally, they pulled into the parking lot at the Y and saw a bunch of little kids running around the field next to the building. Alyssa was running drills with them, and she was laughing and smiling, and a goddamn ray of sunshine, as far as Nate was concerned. “Dude…you sure you can handle that?” Jack asked, jokingly.

Alyssa was a junior, so she wasn’t headed to college this year, and Nate only had a week in town, but…suddenly he was frozen. His heart beating out of his chest, he couldn’t seem to move his feet. Steven tossed the ball at his forehead, but it just bounced off. “Oh god, he’s gone. Chicks don’t dig statues, man!”

“Uh, yeah…um…whatever, let’s just play, ok?” He tried  _ really _ hard to NOT be a dweeb. Girls at his school liked him. He liked them. He’d had girlfriends, he’d kissed plenty of them, even gotten to second base a couple times without any problems. He’d never had issues like this. The trio took to the field, passing, doing tricks, using their heads, and generally fooling around in ways they couldn’t if they were actually practicing. Quickly, Nate got into the zone, and focused on the ball spinning between the three of them, and how much fun they were having. Jack made a crack about Steven’s glasses, Steven promptly replied by kicking the ball right into his stomach.

They were sweaty, exhausted, and sore by the time they were ready to leave, when a foreign ball entered their midst. “Haven’t seen you guys here before,” Alyssa’s voice carried across the field as she easily jogged toward them. Nate didn’t turn to face her, not yet. “You’re good with tricks, but can you play?”

“Hey Lyss,” He tried for a carefree smile…but a dopey grin came out instead. Thankfully, she smiled. “Nate-y!” She ran the last few feet and plowed into him with a hug. She wasn’t a tiny girl, either, and Nate teetered on falling over. “Don’t you live, like, 45 minutes that-a-way?” she pointed in the general direction of DC. “Uh, an hour, but…we were in the area?” His voice squeaked a little at the end, hoping for casual but sounding a little sickly.

She grinned and bumped him with her shoulder as she pushed back. “Yeah, right, funny guy. So, who are your friends?” Nate relaxed into the introductions. “This is Steven. He’s our resident nerd, and pretty damn good with a soccer ball too. He’s getting contacts soon, so you’ll be able to actually see his eyes.” Steven shoved him, but he continued. “And this is Jack. He’ll try really hard to get in your pants, just a warning.” She laughed and shook their hands. “Don’t worry, I can see your eyes just fine, and my pants are pretty secure, thank you.”

For the next 30 minutes, they played 2 on 2.  Nate and Jack versus Alyssa and Steven. Jack had been pretty sure they would beat the pants off the others, figuratively, but boy, was he surprised. Alyssa was  _ good _ . A nerd and a girl versus him and soccer-star Nate? No fuckin’ way. But beat them she did. “You’re letting her win, dude!” He hissed at Nate. Nate grinned, “no way, man. She’d kick my ass if she thought I was!”

After Alyssa was finished running circles around the boys, they heard a honking horn. “Oh, that’s my dad…see you guys later!” She started to gather her shin guards and other stuff when Nate finally found his nerve.

“Hey, Lyss? Um…I know this is totally screwy, cuz I’m moving like 6 hours away next week, but…maybe we could, I dunno, grab a movie before I go?” He dug his toes into the grass in front of him. She looked at her dad, who was eyeing the tall boy suspiciously. “That’d be cool. Call me, k?” Then she kissed his cheek. Nate turned as red as a lobster and ran back to his friends.

“So?” They eagerly awaited his answer. He waved casually (or he hoped he looked casual) as the Hyundai pulled away and out of sight, then he spun in the air. “She said yes!”

After some high fives, they looked at the time. 5:30. “Ugh, my mom is gonna kill me if I’m late to dinner. I told her I would be there. Uncle Herbert is visiting, and he challenged me to a game of chess.” Steven moaned. He was a nerd, but gawd, did everyone have to treat him like one?

“Yeah, I gotta go too. Haven’t seen my mom much lately,” Nate agreed. Nobody commented on that. Nate used to get picked on for being a “mama’s boy,” but some trouble in the 8 th grade had set most of those people straight, and earned him some detention and a suspension for his troubles. But it was worth it to him.

They piled into Jack’s car and headed back. They hadn’t made plans for the rest of the week, and if they got busy, this might be their last full day together for a long time. The heavy silence filled the car, but they just blamed it on being tired.

“Hey, see you soon, right?” Nate called as he left the car, rapping on the frame below the open window.

“Yeah, call, ok?” Jack responded. Steven had insisted on being dropped off first, knowing he’d be in big trouble if he was any later. Nate turned on his heel, slung his duffel over his shoulder, and strode away. He really hoped he’d get to see his friend at least once more before he left. Especially if he did do the Air Force thing…there were still lots of wars being fought…he dismissed the thought that threatened to come forward.

“Come ovet here!” Nate heard his mom call from the living room. He dropped his bag in the entry and wrapped his arms around her neck from behind before she could stand up. “Hey mom. Don’t get up or Uncle Jethro will kill me.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him around the couch. “I can get up on occasion, young man, I’m not 95 years old in a wheelchair.” She hated being reminded that she was supposed to be on bed rest. Oh, how she’d flipped when Tony brought home the shower chair Jethro had asked him to get!

“How are the three musketeers?” She asked, cheerfully this time.

“Fine.”

Katherine wanted to ask more, but something told her he wouldn’t talk about it either way. “How’s the girlfriend?”

“She’s not my girlfriend, mom, jeesh.” He rolled his eyes, but felt his ears get hot immediately. Katherine’s lip quirked.

“OK…but how is she? You drove an hour to see her, didn’t you? Almost knocked Tony down the stairs this morning grabbing your stuff…he’s traumatized, Abby called me to laugh about it.”

“Yeah, right. Whatever, we might go to the movies, I dunno,” he tried to play it cool and casual, when his stomach was churning just thinking about it. “Can I borrow the car?”

Katherine swallowed hard. Nate had gone on dates before, of course, but usually after school, or been dropped off, or taken the bus. He’d had his license for a while and used it, but never gone outside DC for a date by himself. But he’s 18 now. And her car  _ was _ being neglected lately. “Yeah. But I want you back by one, no matter where you go. Got me?” He’s 18, but it’s still her car. His eyes got wide and he nodded.

“Now, on to more practical matters. Your turn to make dinner.”

Nate groaned. “Can’t we order pizza?” Katherine shook her head. “Chinese?” Nope. “Fine. What do you want?”

She laughed. “Bring me my cookbook, we’ll pick something together.” In the end, he actually chose a multi-step dish: Chicken Schnitzel. Using egg noodles instead of spaetzel, it was a bit easier, but he decided to hand-bread the chicken instead of using frozen, and she was filled with pride. He moaned and groaned at having to do stuff, but when it came down to it, he didn’t half-ass anything. She tried to help, until he swatted at her with a spatula and told her to sit before he called Jethro.

Just as they sat down to eat, the door opened, and Tony and Jethro walked in. The door closed and Katherine heard the sounds of anxious kissing. Nate slumped in his seat, redfaced.

*ehem*, Katherine cleared her throat. “Boys, we were only gone for a day…”

They stopped and there was no movement for a while, then the two came into the kitchen. Jethro swaggering, Tony a little sheepish, with a fresh red mark rising on his skin.  _ God, it’s like they’re in heat _ , Katherine thought, missing the time when she might have been the one pinning Abby to the wall. Medically enforced LBD. Yuck.

Nate sat up a little straighter, “I made enough for all of us, even Abby if she’s coming?”

Katherine smiled at him. He was trying to let Abby in. He’d never warmed to any of her female companions, and only liked one of her boyfriends before, so this was a good step for him. “No, she didn’t want to tear me away from you any more than she has to this week. I might cry too much.”

Nate rolled his eyes. “Whatever, mom. Fine, you eat her chicken—it’s for the baby.”

They ate together, as a family, and Tony smiled at the thought. Honestly, the team was the closest thing he’d had to a family in a very, very long time, and that was still kept at arm’s length because it was work. Here, now, stroking Jethro’s knee, occasionally tossing an egg noodle at Nate until he got one square on the nose, and laughing all together? This is family.

“Hey, Tony, so…you know how mom didn’t want to tell you where I was going in the fall?”

Tony looked up, slurping an unruly noodle into his mouth. “Yeah?”

“Well, this is totally a coincidence, but I picked one of the schools with a top 15 NCAA ranking for soccer, and got a partial scholarship for it…I’m going to Ohio State!” He grinned from ear to ear. Tony blinked a few times, then slammed his hand on the table, shaking the water glasses. “All-RIGHT!!!!” He shouted, and stood up and high fived Nate, inventing some weird handshake, fist bump, clapping, thing. Jethro and Katherine watched them and smiled. Tony may have been in his 40s, but he didn’t act like it. He wasn’t immature or childish, except on purpose or in jest, he just loved life and made sure everyone knew it. He’d been forced to grow up way too fast, and what childhood was taken from him, he’d chosen to reclaim as an adult. It made even Jethro feel younger.

The pair quickly ignored their dining companions and headed for the living room, Tony regaling Nate with his escapades in college. “Keep it PG, Tony!” Katherine yelled at their backs, and Tony turned, hand to his chest. “Who, little ol’ me?” Katherine scowled and shook her finger at him before he returned to Nate.  

“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?” she asked Jethro. He just smiled and nodded. She unconsciously made a move to help him clear the table, but he put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down. “Ugh!” She exclaimed. “Stupid body. Can’t I just get a new one?” She hated this.

“It’ll be worth it, Katie.” He said softly, rubbing her shoulder.

“Yeah, I know. But it’d be a lot nicer if I wasn’t fucking broken.”

Gibbs sighed and took Nate’s seat next to her. “You’re not broken. Just got a lot on your plate, and it’s time to slow down a bit.” He smiled. No tension, no sarcasm, no internal cogs spinning. Katherine squinted a little.

“You...got... laid.” She said, matter of factly. Gibbs grabbed her plate and brought it to the sink. “Go you! Seriously, I’m happy for you. Jealous, but happy. You deserve him, you know.”

Gibbs shook his head. “He seems to think so.”

Katherine started to stand, but he shot her a look. In defiance, she scooted the chair over to him. “There, I’m still sitting.  And yes, you deserve him. He deserves you. Don’t forget it.” Gibbs let his head fall back to stretch and roll his neck, feeling the tension rise. “I’m gonna keep reminding you until you actually believe it. You’re a good man, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and he loves you. Anyone can see that. You may want to hide and pretend you don’t have any issues with that, but I’ll keep bringing it up. Burying feelings like that is like planting a seed. I won’t let you doubt yourself over and over again. If you’re annoyed with me for it, fine, but it’s done out of love.”

He wanted to tell her to mind her own damn business. He was uncomfortable and he didn’t like it one bit. But she was right. If he buried this again, this worry that he wasn’t good enough for Tony, it would fester until it became something that Tony would see and maybe he’d start thinking it too. He wasn’t happy she was so damn pushy, but he understood on some level.

“I’d give you a smack on the head, but my parents always told me to respect my elders,” she snickered, all seriousness gone from her voice.

*thwack* he brought a damp hand to the back of her head. “respect.” He said.

“Hey! Domestic violence!” She yelled, then laughed, and just hugged him awkwardly from the side, at hip level.

He put a hand on her back and kissed the top of her head. “Go, try and keep the boys from hurting each other,” he motioned toward the living room where apparently Tony was trying to give Nate wrestling lessons, “or my furniture. And _Sit Down_!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LBD = "Lesbian Bed Death" ... just in case you were wondering lol


	36. Packing for college

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate packs the car for college and says goodbye to everyone

Katherine watched them pack the car with a box of tissues in her lap. She'd tried to beg her doctors to let her go with him to drop him off, but they'd declined. She knew they were right, of course, but it still made her cry more. Her baby was going over 6 hours away, and all she could do was sit in this stupid rocking chair on the porch and watch. Not that the chair was stupid. It was beautiful. Jethro was going to make a killing selling these things.

Tony had originally volunteered, saying he'd love to show Nate some of his “old stomping grounds,” but to Katherine's relief, the director had declined his leave request and suggested Jethro. He had less than a month to go before he was officially retired, and their 5th probie was actually doing fairly well, so two days wouldn't be a big deal. Now the two men, as well as Abby, were packing Nate's things into Jethro's car. Nate had begged and pleaded to drive the Challenger, but Jethro flatly refused. “Keep it up and we're taking the truck.” Nate closed his mouth. Better to show up as a passenger in that epic car than to come in a beat up truck.

David’s parents drove up from South Carolina, where they'd recently moved, to wish him good luck, and she hated the side eye they were giving her and Jethro. They knew what was going on, and they didn't like it. This house was a hotbed of sin, as far as they were concerned, and the sooner their grandson was out of there, the better. They shook Jethro's hand, curtly thanking him for taking Nate to school, awkwardly hugged Katherine, and left almost as quickly as they arrived.

Then another car pulled in front of the house. A dark blue Hyundai sonata. Before it even stopped, the passenger door opened and a girl leapt toward Nate. She was pretty, with soft dark brown hair and dark eyes, her skin tanned, probably from a summer in the sun. Nate barely had time to put his box down before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down the probably 6 or 8 inches necessary to kiss him.

“Alyssa Jean!” An older man yelled from the driver’s side of the car.

“Da-ad!” She whined, but pried herself off Nate.  _ Well now, _ Katherine thought,  _ I guess Nate’s date went well. _ She stood to greet this newcomer, but Jethro strode over to him and shook his hand, shooting her a look. She sat down again, and Nate was at her side, red as a lobster, fiddling with his thumbs like she always did. “Uh, mom, this is Alyssa. We met at camp, and, uh...she’s really good at soccer, and really cool…”

Katherine smiled proudly. The girl wasn't like a lot of the girls Nate had chosen to date previously. It was like those were girls he was  _ supposed  _ to like...the cheerleaders, the 'hot’ girls, the ones vying for his attention of varying talents and appearances, but this girl was just...confident. She smiled and held out her hand, “nice to meet you Mrs. McDonough.” She wasn't draped over her son, desperate for his attention. She wasn't nervous around him either. She casually held his hand and smiled at him whenever they looked in each other's direction. And she had dimples that rivaled Tony's.

_ Oh, god _ ...she wasn't gonna cry. No. “Nice to meet you Alyssa…?”

“Torres. Alyssa Jean Torres.”

“Well, Alyssa, I've heard a bit about you --mostly that you can kick my boy’s butt in soccer?” They all laughed, Nate more nervously than the others.

“Yeah, but it's not easy. At my school it's too easy. I know this sounds kinda braggy, but it kinda sucks being the best on the team... I can't really challenge myself. That's why I love camp so much and I can't wait for college. Gotta keep me on my toes!”

“Hey, Nate, I'm too old to do this by myself!” Jethro's voice carried across the yard, and the two kids excused themselves. Alyssa's dad quickly joined her on the porch. “Anselmo Torres, Alyssa's dad,” he extended a hand.

“Katherine McDonough. I'd get up, but,”

He waved his hand. “Mr. Gibbs explained you're on bed rest, don't worry.” and he sat next to her.

“Alyssa told me about your boy after camp. I think it's fair to say she's got quite the crush on him.”

Katherine chuckled, “is it a crush if it's mutual? Nate is head over heels for her. She seems like a great girl.”

He tensed his jaw just a little. If Katherine weren't as trained in observation, she might have missed it. “He's 18… Off to college… She's not even 17 yet. I don't want her heart getting broken. Or if he...”

Her inner mama bear growled and threatened to snap at this man, insulting her son's honor. But she took a deep breath. “He’s a good young man. He’ll be home a lot, at least this first year. I trust that he will treat your daughter with the respect she deserves. She seems to be able to decide that for herself as well.” Katherine motioned toward the two teenagers roughhousing on the lawn, the shorter girl getting the upper hand fairly often.

Mr. Torres nodded. “If he hurts my little girl…”

Katherine smiled, her lips taut, “she could break his heart just as easily. And I trust him to learn and grow from whatever happens,  _ sir _ .”

He stood and shook her hand. “Mrs. McDonough.”

She gave him a polite 2 shakes. “Mr. Torres.”

She was guessing his daughter wouldn't accept his 'protection’ for long. She seemed like a strong independent girl, and having daddy threaten boyfriends didn't seem her style.

The car was packed, and Jethro intercepted Mr. Torres quickly and easily, allowing the teens to stand by the car in relative privacy. Tony and Abby stood together, griping that they had to return to work. Katherine averted her eyes from Nate and watched Jethro's skilled interrogation techniques transfer to distracting the tense man, who was just worried about his daughter. Soon, Alyssa was opening the car door, her eyes and lips puffy. 

Nate came to Katherine's side and hugged her. “Mom, can I change my mind? I don't wanna go.” He sounded so small and scared, she couldn't help but pull him slightly into her lap.

“Oh, sweetie, you'll be fine. This summer has been pretty whack, right?”

He pulled back. “No. Mom, just no. That is definitely on the list of words you are never allowed to use.”

She laughed. “But it's true. The baby, you and Tony bonding so well, now the timing with Alyssa. But good things will come. She's a good kid, if you want to make this work, you can do it. And you'll be back in a few months, so you'll be able to take her on another real date.”

“Remember what I asked, though, mom. If anything happens…”

She hugged him tighter. “I'll call you or make sure someone tells you.”

“Thanks.” He didn't let go. She was pretty sure he was waiting until the tears stopped so he didn't have to face his uncle with too much embarrassment.

Tony and Abby approached the porch, Jethro still leaning on his car. “Hey, man, you give 'em hell out there. And if you see an English lit professor named Woodsworth, do NOT mention my name, no matter what.”  Tony smiled and Nate pulled him and Abby into a group hug.

“You,” he pointed at Tony, “don't let uncle Jethro be too grumpy. And you,” he pointed at Abby, “take care of mom, ok?” Abby wiped a tear from her cheek and nodded.

“Tony, get your butt in gear!” Jethro shouted.

“Not my boss, Boss!” He shouted back, but gave Nate another clap on the back and headed toward Jethro. Abby kissed Nate’s cheek and kissed Katherine goodbye and went to her car.

“Don't make him too nauseous on the ride over, ok? Puking in the parking lot won't make a good first impression.” Tony advised Jethro. “And I miss you already, J.”

There were tours and events scheduled for freshmen and their parents that Katherine had somehow convinced Jethro to attend in her stead, which meant he wouldn't be home for a few days. Tony knew this wasn't going to be easy for him, playing “dad” and being around so many strangers doting on their own kids. But Jethro grabbed his chin between thumb and forefinger, pulling him down the couple of inches to kiss him.

“Maybe I'll call when I get to my hotel room.” And he winked. “Now, get to work before Vance gives McGee the lead position.” As Jethro turned toward his open door, he felt the movement behind him and grabbed Tony's hand just before it connected with his ass. “Go, Tone.”

Tony took his hand back, blew him a kiss, and got into his car. Nate was quickly at the passenger side, but Jethro didn't get in. When Tony was out of sight, he tossed the keys across the car to Nate.

“Tell anyone, and you'll never touch it again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe I'll start posting how far along Katherine is in these notes. 
> 
> I'm putting her at 18-19 weeks here.


	37. Jethro goes to college

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jethro takes Nate to college

The worst part about driving Uncle Jethro’s car? The sighing from the passenger side. Nate had tried to drive cautiously, to avoid any anxiety about a new driver hurting his prize possession. But the slow pace and excessive use of the turn signal was driving Gibbs bonkers. Eventually, when they stopped for lunch, he gave the keys back, saying he was tired. His uncle just smirked and pocketed the keys as they went in to eat.   
  
The rest of the ride was uneventful. A little fast, but not too bad. He laughed when they got pulled over and the West Virginia trooper didn’t give a hoot about Uncle Jethro’s federal agent status and wrote him a whopping ticket anyway. Nate was smart enough to keep his laughter stuffed way down inside, but he was TOTALLY telling mom about this tonight. At about 4, they pulled past the signs that directed them toward orientation registration. He was nervous as hell, but before they got out, Uncle Jethro gripped the back of his neck. “You got this, kid. You make your dad proud, you know that?”   
  
And he did. His dad would have liked him to be a Marine, but he would have loved to see him go to college. “Yeah, I know. Thanks.”   
  
For being fairly anti-social and relatively obstinate, Uncle Jethro made it through most of the orientation events with little hassle. The trust exercises were too much, though, and he sat on the sidelines giving the orientation leaders icy glares any time they addressed him.   
  
All in all, a good day.   
  
“Tony, if this ever happens again, YOU’RE going. I don’t care if I have to get on my knees for Vance, I’m not putting myself through this again.” Jethro was pacing his room, lamenting his torture that day. “They wanted us to do trust falls. Do you believe that shit? I’m not trusting Suzy homemaker with her sweater tied around her neck and her little dog in a purse to catch me.” He was ranting.   
  
Finally, he wound down. “Wow.” Was all Tony could say.   
  
“Wow is right. And I have to do more tomorrow. I’d rather be waterboarded. Been there, done that, piece of cake.”   
  
“No, wow…that’s the most you’ve said…like, ever.” He could hear the smirk in Tony’s voice.   
  
“You think this is funny Dinozzo?” Jethro was fuming. He wasn’t made for this cheerful bouncy rainbow unicorn barf bullshit. He did it, but he didn’t have to like it.   
  
“Picturing you doing ice breakers with a bunch of soccer moms? Yeah, yeah I do,” and he started laughing. Jethro heard more laughter in the background. “Traitor!” he yelled at Katherine. But now it was so ridiculous it _was_ kindof funny.   
  
What wasn’t funny was when the day was done, they’d finished the evening activities, and Jethro had gone back to his hotel, leaving Nate in his dorm room with his new roommate. He wasn’t ready to feel what he felt, and he hustled out of there. He’d only known the kid a few months, but leaving him there just felt…wrong. Like he was supposed to stay and protect him.   
  
When he hung up the phone, he thought about what this might have been like 10 years ago. Bringing Kelly to college, holding Shannon as she cried at their little girl growing up. He pulled the worn picture out of his wallet. Shannon and Kelly, smiling and blowing him kisses. They’d mailed it to him while he was overseas, and he’d hidden it away with the others until Tony convinced him he should carry something with him to help when he missed them. He ran a finger across the little girl’s face. For her, he probably would have done the stupid trust fall…and maybe not complained as much.   
  
*****

“Mom, omigod, I swore his head was gonna pop! This trooper was talking so slow, and chewing gum or tobacco, I couldn't tell, and told him he was getting an extra fine just for being 'uppity’! I wish I could have gotten my phone out to record it!” Nate was regaling her with the tales of Uncle Jethro’s first day at college, starting with the drive. “And it was really kinda cool, at dinner, there was this table of kids whose parents couldn't be there, and he didn't even wait for me, just sat with them. This one guy, he drove himself cuz his mom had to work and his dad was in jail, and he's super smart and stuff. He’s in my dorm, we’re gonna meet up for breakfast.”

Ah, Jethro, jaded patron saint of disenfranchised children everywhere. “I'm so glad you're having a good time baby.”

“Speaking of babies…” he started.

“Abby and Tony are spoiling me, don't worry. Oh, and I wanted you to be the first to know...the baby is moving. I felt it today. Another month or so and you should be able to feel it too,”

“That's AWESOME!” Nate shouted, getting an alarmed look from his roommate. “But why me? Shouldn't you call Uncle Jethro?”

“I wanted to tell him in person, and since I've got to tell you over the phone anyway, I figured I'd do it now. Don't tell him, ok? Nobody else will know until he gets back here.”

“Ok mom. I gotta go. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

*****

“Thanks, Uncle Jethro,” Nate said, as he put his duffel into the back seat of the car. He squared his shoulders and held out his hand,as grown up as he could. Jethro smiled, shook his hand, and pulled him into a hug. “You do your parents proud, y’hear?” Nate nodded. When he released him, he continued. “You’ll always have a place in my house. It's not temporary. And the door's always open, remember that.”

Nate  _ really _ wanted to make a sarcastic comment about locking the door for certain activities, but he swallowed it. “Thanks. For everything. And, um...hey, if mom was destined to have another kid, I'm glad it's you and not one of her dumb boyfriends. She said you're an awesome dad. I can tell. Kid’s lucky.”

“Well, you're stuck with me too. Let’s see how lucky you think you are when we see your grades.”

Nate laughed. “Ooh, hey, let's do a selfie!”

“A what-ie?”

“A selfie! Oh, just...hold on, don't move.” Nate positioned himself next to Jethro, with the yellow charger behind them, raised his cell phone high in the air, and said “smile!” Jethro was only looking slightly perturbed, so he took it as a victory. “OK, now, I really gotta get to the team orientation. Basically, I get to repeat everything the freshmen just did, but for the soccer team. So… yeah…” Jethro shook his hand again and got into his car.

“This is totally my Facebook profile pic now.” Nate mumbled into his phone as the engine roared to life.

*****

“Hey, Kat, you’ll never believe what Nate’s profile pic is!” Abby squealed. Katherine felt a warmth in her heart. There on the screen was Nate, wearing his OSU soccer jersey, backwards cap, and sunglasses; and Leroy Jethro Gibbs, crisp OSU t-shirt, half scowl, half grin, with his arm around her son.

She wasn't crying. Not again. Just allergies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Katherine is still 18-19 weeks


	38. Only a week until retirement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katherine is 22-ish weeks, and Gibbs is only a week until retirement, but then something happens in the field.
> 
> Warning: somewhat graphic description of injury/trauma

_Missed the vest. Shit,_ Gibbs thought, as he felt the bullet tear through his skin. _One week. One goddamn week until retirement._ He went down and his world went black.

*****

“Tony, stop, you're scaring people,” McGee said, trying to calm his team lead...his friend. Tony was pacing and slamming things, looking extra intimidating in his vest, full gear [sans weapons] and blood smeared on his face and clothes.

“You want me to calm down McGee? You want me to sit quietly while the man I love is in there and I can't see him? Fuck you, Tim.”

McGee clenched his jaw. Years ago, he would have taken that personally, but now he was Tony’s SFA. It was his job to see what was going on and bring him down just a notch. “Tony. I'm not saying you have to calm down. I'm saying you have to stop hitting things and pacing like that. If you need to do that, take it outside.”

 _Holy shit,_ Tony thought, _little Timmy’s got balls._ McGee was almost chest to chest with him, similarly outfitted, and the now angular jawline was set and tense. He was scared too, but focused on Tony. Tony took a deep breath through his nose, and McGee relaxed a little.

*****

 _Where am I?_ He felt the movement, but couldn't open his eyes. Breathing hurt. He couldn't breathe. But voices… Tony was there…

 

> “You can't out run me! I'm wearing tube socks!”  
>  _What a cocky kid._  
>  *  
>  “I let you arrest me”  
>  “Ha!”  
>  _Cocky, but good. And that grin…_  
>  *  
>  “Rule 5, DiNozzo. Don't waste good.”  
>  _Work for me. You're better than them._

 *****

“Corolli” McGee called their probie. Probie 5 had been working out so far. She was good with computers, and a marine to boot, which may have been why Gibbs gave her a shot instead of harassing her into quitting. She had been Tony's top pick, but Vance had overruled him, citing his lack of experience as team lead. Of course Tony's instincts were right all along.

“Yessir?” She was there, also dressed for a firefight. Which was where they had been.

“Get our gear back to NCIS. Secure the weapons, catalog the evidence with Abby. I'm staying here with DiNozzo.” He hadn't looked at her, he kept his eyes locked with Tony's. _I'm here_ , he was trying to convey.

Corolli went to the car and came back without her gear. “Then get cleaned up. Get some sleep too. You'll take a hospital shift later.” McGee told her as he handed her his gear. She waited for DiNozzo’s, but he wasn't even looking at her. McGee motioned toward the door, “give me a minute.” She took his gear and McGee started removing Tony’s vest.

“Tony, let's get this off. You'll be more comfortable. Let me do it.” He was used to helping people get dressed, now that Delilah had moved in and accepted that his help was out of love, not pity.

“Thanks probie.” He mumbled as he shimmied out of his gear. McGee let it slide. He’ll yell at him later, once they know the Boss is alright. Corolli was back, quiet as ever, and slipped the gear from McGee’s arms. “What about Bishop?” She asked.

“Ducky's with her. She’s bruised, got a few stitches on her arm, but he says she’ll be ok.” Bishop was shot too, in the lower chest, but her vest had absorbed the bulk of the force. They were waiting for x-rays to rule out broken ribs. She hit some stones when she fell and scraped her arm good, one long gash, and some road rash on her cheek, but she was already pushing to be discharged.

Corolli nodded and went to leave. “Hey,” McGee caught her attention,”when you come back, can you bring some clean clothes?” She nodded. They all had go bags, but they were still in the truck.

*****

_So loud. Yelling._

 

> “We’re sorry sir, but we’re afraid we have some bad news from the states.”  
>  “There was an accident. Your wife and daughter…”  
>  _No...no...Kelly! Shannon!_  
>  “They didn't make it. I'm so sorry for your loss.”

 *****

Suddenly, it hit him. _Katherine._ Tony sat up straight in his chair. What were they going to say? Abby was busy coping in her own way--evidence--and he was in no condition to tell her, nor was he leaving. She couldn't panic, this could be just fine. He stood and pulled out his phone.

 _Tony? Is he ok?_ Palmer sounded hopeful, but cautious.

“Don't know yet. But I need you to do me a favor.”

_Ok, shoot. . . . Poor choice of words, sorry. Go ahead.”_

“Go to Gibbs's house and tell Katherine.”

_What? Tony, I can't do that...why not Ducky? Or Abby?_

“Ducky is with Bishop, Abby is too upset. Maybe bring Breena and Victoria. If you have to lie a little, do it. He's been shot, but he'll be fine. She needs to stay calm and stay _home_. It won't be easy, but you got a way with the ladies, my little Gremlin.” Tony tried for humor, but his voice was weaker than his grin.

 _Ok._ He took a deep breath. _I'll call Breena._

“Thanks man, I owe you one.”

_And Tony...he’ll be ok. He’s Gibbs. He’s been through worse. You’ll get him back._

“I hope so, Jim. I hope so.”

*****

_Can’t move. Can't feel. Can't die. The baby. My baby._

 

> “Jethro, welcome home! Nice t-shirt!”  
>  “Thanks, got it at the gift shop.”  
>  “Got another present for you! So guess what?”  
>  “What?”  
>  “I don't think _you'll_ be able to feel it, but the baby's moving. I can feel it. All the time now.”  
>  _Do. Not. Cry._ “That's great. More than great.”  
>  “Makes ME feel a little better.”  
>  “Yeah... Yeah.”  
>  “Wanna tell the others?”  
>  “You haven't told them yet?”  
>  “No! That's your honor. It's your baby.”  
>  _My baby. My child._

***** 

Katherine was just finishing the reports on some new court cases involving compromised DNA evidence, and making notes of which companies she would _never_ use in the future, when there was a knock at the door. _Nobody knocks anymore_ , she thought, hoping it wasn't Jehovah's Witnesses. “It's open!” She shouted, and the door opened. The squeal of a small child filled the room, and Katherine grinned widely. 

“Victoria!!” She called the child as she teetered toward the couch with her stuffed giraffe. She couldn't lift her, but she hovered a hand by her padded behind, just in case she slipped climbing up next to her. “How's my favorite little girl?” She saw Breena quickly carry a dish to the fridge, probably a casserole, and Jimmy was looking a little lost without her. “Jimmy, what's wrong?” He dropped his eyes. She froze, ignoring the toddler patting at her ponytail. “Jimmy?” Her voice low and threatening. Her mom voice.

Breena returned, plucked Victoria from the couch and sat next to Katherine. “He’s fine. First, keep that in mind. He'll be just fine.” Katherine felt bile rise in her throat and she was shaking.

“Nate?” She whispered

“No, Gibbs. He got shot. He's still in surgery, but Tony says he's gonna be fine.” Jimmy was still standing, looking uncomfortable.

Katherine let out a breath. _He's been shot before. He'll be fine._ But Jimmy was making her nervous. “Jim?”

He stuttered, “sorry, I'm just not very good at this. I should be working. I… Can I pick you guys up later?” He looked at Breena desperately. She smiled and waved him off. When he got to the car, he breathed a sigh of relief. He hated lying to his wife, but if she believed everything was fine, then she'd be a lot better at keeping Katherine calm while they waited for news.

Truth was, the shot was from an 8th story window and had gone through the top of the vest. It went _down,_ not straight across his collarbone like they originally thought. The bullet was still lodged somewhere in Gibbs's chest. There was a LOT of blood. Jimmy had to get back to work. He didn't want to think about it.

Breena was calm. She made tea. She tried to get Katherine to talk about schooling for the baby, or anything but the reason she was there. But she was calm. She wouldn't be calm and joking if Jethro wasn't really ok.

“Look, Jimmy said the bullet hit his collarbone. He'll probably be in a sling for a few weeks, but he’ll be fine. We're just waiting on a call from Tony once the doctors finish surgery and he wakes up. Orthopedic surgery is very delicate. I shattered my knee in high school and it took them EIGHT HOURS to fix it. He's only been there two. So let's just chit chat, ok?”

Katherine sighed. Jethro wasn't David. He wasn't going to die and leave her with an unborn child. She was not going to panic herself into a miscarriage. The baby kicked her bladder. _Thanks kid._ She had to start thinking about this baby.

*****

Somehow, McGee had convinced Tony to take the med student's offer of a shower and scrub top at least. He threw out his blood stained shirt. Even if Jethro made it out of this, he could never have worn it again, thinking of how the blood had wicked through the soft cotton as he held pressure to Jethro's chest. He was trying to rest now, the only sign he was awake was the shaking of his right knee, slightly bouncing as the adrenaline still pumped through his veins.

Five hours. Five hours they'd been in that room, fighting to keep him alive. But he's still alive. Or they wouldn't have been fighting. “Damnit, J, you don't die on me. That's an order.” He whispered to the ceiling. It had worked for him and the plague, and now that he was the boss, Special Agent Gibbs had to take orders from him, right?

Bishop was sitting in the waiting room, ignoring the doctors’ insistence that she return to a bed. “I'm fine. Nothing is broken, it wasn't severe enough to do internal damage, I'm fine.” She winced when she shifted.

“Bishop,” McGee used his head to motion toward a corner of the room. She stood with a little difficulty and joined him. “You can stay here until we know more about Gibbs. But you _will_ stay overnight for observation. If that bullet cracked a rib, it could have injured your lung, you need to be here.” She nodded, then went back to sit across from Tony.

*****

 

> _My child._  
>  “Daddy?”  
>  _Kelly?_  
>  “Daddy, I miss you.”  
>  “Oh baby girl, I miss you too.”  
>  “Do you want to stay with us?”  
>  _Yes. So much._

 *****

“Agent Anthony DiNozzo?” Someone with scrubs and a surgical cap and a clipboard was standing by the previously locked double doors, surveying the room. Tony leapt to his feet, feeling like his stomach was at his feet. “Please come with me,” the doctor said, holding the door open behind him. Tony tried to read the expression on his face, but it was a schooled reaction. This was the ‘deal with the family’ guy. The ‘get the next of kin into a closed room before you start talking’ guy. He tried, really hard, to think positive, but the longer they walked in silence, the more his knees threatened to give out in panic. “In here, please.” The door opened to small office with a comfortable couch and two boxes of tissues on the low coffee table.

Tony let his weight fall onto the couch and buried his face in his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I did it. I had two versions of this chapter, and didn't know which way to go, but this one called to me more.


	39. The aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The doctors give everyone the news.

Tony let the tears fall. The doctor handed him another tissue. His adrenaline was crashing, he hadn't eaten in almost 9 hours, and Jethro was ok. He was ok. The rest of what the doctor was saying--physical therapy, mandatory hospital stay, long term rehab plans, yadda yadda yadda, it was all a blur. He’d get the details from Ducky later. “When can I see him?” He croaked out, interrupting the doctor.

“Sir, I understand you're his superior, but generally we only allow family in the rooms at this point. You're on these forms as the authorized person to talk to for HIPAA, but…”

Tony's eyes shot up at him, full of rage. “I. Am. His. Family. Check with his physician, Dr. Mallard. He’s my husband.” If it got him in there faster, he wasn't above lying.

The young man rifled through his papers. “I'm sorry, Mr DiNozzo, I didn't know...I would have…” he set the papers down and leaned forward. “Screw the papers. I'll get you in ASAP, OK? He's not 100% out of the woods, the next 24 hours are the most crucial. But you can stay with him now.” He turned back to his desk and picked up his phone. Tony sat back on the couch and tried to control his breathing. He could feel the tightness returning, but he would _not_ have a coughing fit here. If they thought he was sick, he’d never get to see Jethro. It was just the scarring, he knew that, but they didn't.

“Ok, Nurse Salomon will take you to his room,” the doctor said, as the door opened and a young blonde nurse ushered him out. Any other day, Tony would have enjoyed the view, but he just wanted to see his lover. “I'll talk to your friends, just go.”

*****

The doors opened again and the doctor was back, without Tony. McGee, Ducky, and Bishop stood, just as he asked “Gibbs?”

“Yeah, we're with Agent Gibbs… Is he ok? Please say he's ok.”

The doctor smiled warmly. “He's not out of the woods, but I think he'll be ok. His recovery won't be easy, though.”

McGee sagged in relief, Bishop sat on the nearest chair, and Ducky started with a barrage of questions.

“Ok, ok.” the doctor paused Ducky’s verbal assault. He turned to the two agents; “Agent DiNozzo is with him. You two should go home. We'll know more tomorrow.”

Bishop stood to leave, but Ducky cleared his throat. She sighed, “right. Back to my room. Fine.” She headed for the elevators instead of the exit. McGee picked up the phone to give Jimmy the news.

“Doctor Mallard, I'll update you as we walk.” The doctor lead him through the double doors, past the emergency ORs, and into ICU.

When they got to the door, doctor Mallard was thoroughly amazed. Jethro had honestly had very little chance of surviving, and he'd lost so much blood, they were surprised his heart kept going. He'd nearly died twice, but they never had to shock him. He just kept going. The bullet had hit his collarbone, and the injury would take months to heal fully, with daily physical therapy once the rest of him was up to it. It traveled into his chest cavity, tore a small hole in his aorta, then lodged in his lung, puncturing it. The hole in the aorta, had it been even a millimeter larger, would have been an instant death sentence. But Jethro was here, his heart still beating.

Ducky thanked the doctor and quietly slipped into the room. He gasped at the sight. His good friend was almost as grey as the corpses he worked on, still intubated and breathing with the help of a respirator. Tony was by his side, holding his hand, head resting on the bed next to Jethro's hip.

“Anthony?” He whispered. He might have been asleep, adrenaline was an exhausting thing.

“Yah, Duck?” He responded, not lifting his head.

He stood behind Tony and placed a hand on his shoulder. “He’ll fight.”

“I know.” His voice was strained, and he couldn't help the sniffle as he raised his head. “He looks…”

Ducky shushed him. “He looks like a man who almost died. But his heart never stopped. You know that, Tony? They were convinced he wouldn't make it, but they would fight as long as his heart kept going, and not once did it stop.” Ducky's heart went out to the young man in front of him. “for that, he looks ok.”

Tony wanted to say something funny. He wanted to deflect his fears with humor. But he couldn't find the energy. “Stay for a bit, Duck?”

“Of course, my dear boy.” And Ducky pulled up a chair next to his friend.

*****

Breena hung up the phone, smiling. “He’s out of surgery, and the doctors say he’ll need a lot of rehab and physical therapy for his shoulder, but he’s in recovery. There were some complications, but he’s gonna be ok.”

“Complications?” Katherine was still suspicious.

“Jimmy wasn't specific, just that Tony’s staying the night with him and he’ll call you when he can. Abby is still working on the evidence, so she won't be here until tomorrow. I told him we’re staying with you tonight.”

Katherine smiled gratefully. She really _could_ take care of herself, but she hated being alone. “Thank you.” She checked her watch, it was late enough. She held up her phone and wiggled it, “Hey, sorry, I gotta let Nate know.”

Breena nodded and plucked Victoria off Katherine's legs. “Alright baby girl, let's get dinner going.”

_Hey mom, what's up? It's a little early for your twice weekly check up on me”_ Nate chuckled.

“It’s Uncle Jethro, honey. He was shot.” Just saying the words made her throat close in anxiety. Before Nate could freak too much, she continued quickly. “He’s in recovery in the hospital, they say he'll be ok, but I wanted to let you know.”

She heard Nate breathing, but nothing else.

“Sweetie?”

Nothing.

“It’s his collarbone. He’ll be in a sling and need PT, but they say he’ll be ok.”

_Mom, are YOU ok?_

She covered her face with her hand. “I think so. They sent a babysitter for me, so I've been busy playing with baby Victoria. Good distraction and planning on their part.”

_Serious, mom?_

“Yes, honey. I'm ok. The baby is ok. Jethro is ok. This isn't Dad.” She had to say it. It hurt, but she knew if her mind had gone there, so would Nate's.

_Ok. Just call me if anything changes ok? And when he's up to it, I wanna talk to him._

“Alright, I'll tell him. I love you.” Normally she'd ask all kinds of questions about school, sports, Alyssa, but she didn't have the energy.

_Love you too mom._

*****

Tony woke to find his hand in a vice grip. He called for the nurse and he brought his hand to Jethro's face. “Shhh, it's ok. You're intubated, you're ok, they're coming.” His eyes were still full of panic, he dropped Tony's hand and was reaching for the tube. Tony clasped both his hands around his and held him down. The panic subsided and then he was pissed. _I can take out the damn tube myself, DiNozzo_ he was trying to say, but Tony's hands were strong and his were not. One was taped to his chest at an angle, the other had an IV line with 4 different bags hanging on the pole.

A doctor came running in. “Glad to see you with us, Agent Gibbs,” she said. “I've read your chart, so you know how this works, but I have to warn you...it will hurt more than normal. I'll explain once we get you settled, ok?” He nodded once. “Deep breath in…” _FUCK that hurt!_ “And out...out..out” as she pulled the tube from his throat. His exhalation was more of a groan, but the tube was gone. He collapsed back onto the bed, letting Tony kiss his cheek and nuzzle his neck.

He hurt. Head to toe hurt. “What…” he tried to talk, but his voice was almost gone.

The doctor shushed him. “You went through a lot. You're hoarse from the intubation, that's normal, so give your voice a rest for a while, ok?”

Tony’s face was still leaning against his shoulder and neck, his hand shaking slightly, but he couldn't help it. He had to. It was instinct. Without lifting his head, he said, “Boss here is a functional mute, so that shouldn't be a problem.”

If he had the strength, he would have glared, but even that seemed too much. He quirked his lip just enough to let Tony know he wasn't offended though.

The doctor continued. “You were shot from a high angle, Agent Gibbs. The surgeons repaired a torn aorta and punctured lung, as well as shattered collarbone and other related injuries. You'll have some pain when breathing, especially since the surgery required a full midline incision into the chest wall. You're here for quite a while, Agent Gibbs.”

He groaned again. He hated hospitals. But he nodded and used his head to motion the doctor to the door.

“I'll leave you and your husband alone. Hit your buzzer for the nurse if you need me.” And she left, closing the curtain and the door behind her.

Tony still didn't move. Jethro pulled his hand from his grasp and did his best to stroke his back for a while, then leaned his head down and nudged Tony's face. “Husband?”

He looked up, eyes red with tears. “I needed to see you. thought I lost you.”

Gibbs croaked a whisper, “not goin’ anywhere.”

Tony kissed him very, very gently. His lips were hard and chapped, his skin still grey, but he was awake. “Can we just agree that you're retired as of now?” He asked. Jethro smiled and nodded once. No more bullets, if he could help it.

“Move in?” He asked again. He'd looked into an architect who could add an extra 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom to his house without changing its overall feel and design, but hadn't gotten any further than that. But he had to ask.

Tony nodded. “I'm not letting you out of my sight again.”

Gibbs felt his heart racing, and heard the beeping on the monitor. He knew they'd be rushing in soon, so he pulled Tony closer and kissed him harder before they got there. He winced and hissed in pain when he tried to shift to face Tony, but it was worth it. He relaxed onto the bed and Tony took his hand again before they slipped something into his IV and his eyes closed. _Not goin’ anywhere._

> "Daddy?"  
> "I would love to stay, sweetheart. But you know i can't."  
> "I know. I'll watch out for my sister, though. We talk She says you laugh more, and it's nice."  
> "Love you baby girl."

_*****_

Katherine found herself spooning a still-dressed Abby. She snuggled closer and kissed the back of her neck, finding her hands and threading their fingers together. She must have snuck in during the night. Katherine fell back asleep with a smile.

A few hours later, Abby stirred and stretched. Katherine's hand stayed flat on her stomach as she rolled onto her back. “Hey you,” Katherine said.

“Hey.” Abby responded, then rolled to face Katherine and pulled her into an unexpected hug. Usually they spent mornings snuggling, not squishing each other.

“Uh...can't breathe…” Katherine choked, and Abby let go just a little.

“Sorry. Jimmy said I could come over. Now that it's safe.”

“Um...safe? What, did he expect me to explode or something? I know I've got issues with the father of my child possibly dying, but jeesh.”

“Wait so you knew?” Abby was shocked. She was so calm. Abby had spent the first half of the night hugging Bert repeatedly just to calm herself down before she came over.

“Um, yeah, that's why Jimmy and Breena are here, at least until Jethro’s home in a few days.”

“Uh….” Abby's eyes went wide. _Oh boy. I'm in trouble._

“Abby...what's wrong…” she was using her mom voice again.

Abby raised a hand to her mouth. “I shouldn't have…”

“Abigail...what do you know?”

_Oh, just pay the piper._ “Bossman was shot. Tony is still there at the hospital with him.”

“I knew that much. What else?” There had to be more.

“It was bad.” She whispered. “He woke up once, but he’s back out again. He...he…” the bed started shaking with her sobs. “I'm sorry...I shouldn't...be upsetting you...they told me...i couldn't come...cuz I freak...and Bossman coulda…”

Katherine was furious. She knew, logically, they were right, but her heart screamed _how_ _could_ _they_? She pulled Abby closer and kissed her tear-stained cheeks. How could they make Abby feel like this? Leave her alone thinking she’d only make things worse? “But he’ll be ok. They wouldn't have lied about that, Abby. He’ll be ok.”

She let Abby cry in her arms, letting out all the tension and fear and rage. When she settled, she started apologizing again. Katherine placed a finger to her lips. “Stop. You're allowed to freak out. You love him too.” Abby nodded fiercely, a pout still on her lips. “Let me hold you.” It seemed to calm Katherine down if she could focus on calming Abby down.

Abby buried her head in Katherine's chest, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Wish we could…”

Katherine sighed. “Yeah. Great stress relief. But alas, you'll have to make do with my kisses.”

“Ok by me.” Abby turned her head back up for a kiss. Katherine was a little twitchy for a while after that. Usually she _would_ turn to a good romp between the sheets to relieve stress, and it was all she could do to _not_ grab Abby by her pigtails and have her way with her.

Maybe it was messed up, maybe it was a holdover from her bout of depression when David died and she did some things, and people, she wasn't proud of. Who knows. But having Abby in her arms was almost as good. It just took a lot of control to keep her hands PG rated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, had some more editing to do!


	40. Another visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gibbs get some visitors. Katherine is 25-26 weeks

“A wheelchair escort? Really?” Katherine couldn’t believe they’d called ahead. In front of her, in the parking garage, was an orderly or someone else in scrubs (his nametag was turned around at the moment) holding a hospital wheelchair at the ready. “I could have made it through the doors under my own power, you know.”

Abby pulled the bag of clothes out of the trunk and hooked it onto the back of the wheelchair. “Oh just stop. You wanted to come, you knew the rules, you agreed. And you call ME pouty.” She stood by the open door tapping her toe, which was quite an effort in the shoes she had chosen to wear. The orderly noticed the tapping toe…and Katherine glared as his eyes traveled from the shoes to the fishnet tights, to the pleated schoolgirl skirt.

“Hey!” she stopped him before he got to the shirt that she had chosen for Abby that morning. She was regretting her hormone-fueled decision, and made a mental note to ask Abby to keep her sweater buttoned, especially if it got chilly in the room. “Hold that steady, would ya?” She was fully capable of holding her own, but figured the distraction would keep his eyes off of her girlfriend for a second. She was a jealous woman, she’d freely admit it.

“I got it from here, thanks,” Abby leaned in to flip his badge and read it, “Timothy. Huh, that’s my best friend’s name! He’s the greatest. You’re cool too, gotta go, bye!” 

Katherine gripped the arms of the wheelchair as Abby sped off. “Woah, there, trigger! I’m supposed to be ‘resting’ here, hence the chair—getting me into a race isn’t much better than asking me to walk, hon.” 

“Sorry, I just haven’t seen him in a long time! Tony’s keeping me updated and stuff, but for him to be in the hospital this long, it’s making me antsy!”

Katherine smiled. She arched her head back to look up at Abby and placed a hand on her face. Abby leaned over, pigtails falling, and kissed her upside-down. “Breathe” she said. Abby huffed. “not good enough.” Abby took a deep breath. “Better. Now, let’s go see my baby-daddy.”

“Do NOT let him hear you call him that!” Abby gasped. Gibbs would be horrified.

Katherine knocked on the door. A voice from inside said "come back in--" at the same time as Gibbs called, “It’s open!" She smiled, pushing open the door as an exasperated young man pushed the curtain open. “I’ll be back in an hour,” he said to Gibbs, “You WILL do your therapy then. Visitors or not.” Gibbs just waved him out with his good hand.

“Leroy Jethro Gibbs, pissing people off wherever he goes.”

He smiled broadly and shrugged. “just my nature. How’s it goin’ Katie?”

“Glad to see you’re not a ghost or some fictional character. It’s been a while.”

“yeah, but I’m coming home soon. If these people would stop with their damn torture.”

“Brought you some stuff from home. Figured you might be tired of the same old clothes Tony keeps bringing home and rewashing. Just a warning…Abby helped pick them out.”

“GIBBSGIBBSGIBBSGIBBSGIBBSGIBBS!” Speaking of Abby, she came bombing into the room—Katherine had asked her for a cup of water to give him a few seconds warning before hurricane Abby.

“Hey Abbs” He smiled. He knew they were coming today, and pointed to his table. On it was a red and white cup.

“You didn’t!” She squealed and picked it up, took a sip. “You DID!” She ran to him with arms wide, but he held up a hand.

“Well, my nurse did. She’s pretty keen on me. Tony’s none too thrilled, but it has its perks. And no hugging for a bit.” He pulled his shirt down a bit to reveal the end of the still-healing scar that came to almost his throat. Abby settled for grabbing the sides of his head and kissing his forehead. 

Katherine sat next to the bed as Abby had a small meltdown. She’d gotten the worst out in the first few days, but Abby was not the type to hold anything in. Seeing Gibbs, seeing the scar, seeing him still having trouble moving his left arm properly, it smacked her in the face how they could just as easily have been visiting his grave. To his credit, Gibbs focused his attention on her. He’d dealt with, or buried, whatever emotions he had to deal with, and now he was going all papa bear on the people around him. 

Katherine touched his shoulder, “hey, I’m gonna hit the head.” Abby’s head popped up, but she squinted slightly, “You, stay. I can go pee myself thank you.” She sighed in relief and rested against Gibbs again. He met Katherine’s eyes, and she nodded. She’d give them some time. Abby took everything around her so personally and internalized so much, she needed the connection to feel secure. 

About 20 minutes later, Katherine came back and found the two of them signing back and forth. She smiled. Jethro wasn’t guarding his left shoulder. Abby was good. Sneaky, but good.

“Hey, I brought coffee and donuts!” The pair snapped their heads in her direction. “Real coffee for the marine and donuts for everyone.” The packaging showed she had gotten them from the shop across from the hospital, and when Gibbs saw the logo, she held up a hand. “I asked someone to get it, don’t worry. I may be stubborn, but I know my limits.”

The trio drank the coffee, Gibbs reveling in the dark roast he preferred over the weak practically-decaf crap they brought him here. Then Katherine looked at Abby purposefully. She’d already asked her for some time alone with Jethro, and Abby took the hint.

“I’ll deal with the trash, and, uh…I gotta make some calls.” She bounced out of the room, now fully caffeinated.

Katherine wheeled closer to Jethro’s bed. He sighed and pulled her into a hug she so desperately needed, ignoring the painful way it pulled against his scars. Maybe Abby  _ was _ rubbing off on her. He scooted over and she sat next to him. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?” She half laughed, a tear falling down her cheek. “Don’t do that again, ok?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“You know they lied to me? Until you were out of the woods. I gave Tony an earful on that one, but…you’d probably have told him to do it anyway.”

Gibbs nodded. “Don’t need the stress if there’s no reason.”

“And if you’d…” She inhaled sharply. She couldn’t say it. “The lies would have made it worse, you know.”

“But I didn’t. Doesn’t matter now.”

His hand on her head, the smell of the hospital, the reality of what could have been, it all hit her, and she burrowed into him. She let go of everything she’d been holding in since she found out what really happened. She’d been strong for Abby, knowing she needed the stability. She’d been strong for Nate, who was worried about his uncle and called nearly every day. She’d put on a good face for Ducky and Tony, who doted on her and worried over her every day. But Jethro’s strength could handle this. He may be physically down, but he was strong enough to hold her as she cried. He’d done it before, and suddenly she felt like a kid again, letting him hold her.

“Oh Katy-did,” he whispered to her, his very old nickname for her slipping off the tongue. “I’m not goin’ anywhere.” It was a promise he kept making. He really hoped it would be a very long time before he broke it.

Slowly, the tears stopped, and she felt a whole lot better. He handed her a wad of tissues, a half smile on his face. “figured one wouldn’t be enough.”

“Smartass.” She chuckled. The baby jumped. “Hey, um…maybe…” She pulled his hand to her belly about where she’d felt the last kick. She pushed in a little when he only brushed her skin. “You gotta let him know you’re there…” 

He looked up sharply, “Him?”

She realized what he was thinking, “No, I didn’t find out, I just figured since you were calling the baby a boy, I’d roll with it. I say ‘she’ when I’m talking to Nate, so it’s a fairly even split. Talk to him.”

He nodded. “Well, maybe Nate’s right. The Gibbs gut has been wrong before…” When nothing happened, he frowned. “I don’t know if this is gonna do any good. Not like she hears me talk anyway.” He laughed at the ridiculousness of talking to someone’s stomach, and then his face lit up. Katherine felt the baby kicking up a storm. The more he laughed, the more the baby twisted and turned.

“You’re lucky I already went to the bathroom,” she chuckled and held her hand to the other side of her stomach. The feelings were not nearly as pronounced on her hand, but she felt them. Nobody else was permitted to touch her stomach, although if these movements were any indication, she was fairly sure Abby must have felt something in the nights when they were cuddled together. But she had never said anything. As far as Katherine knew, Jethro was the first to feel this.

“Damn, little one. Tony’s gonna love teaching you sports.” Gibbs hadn’t let himself open up like this until today. But feeling those tiny flutters under his hand, knowing it was HIS laughter that had made this baby spin and kick, realizing that at this point, the baby was nearly out of the woods, even if she was born tomorrow, it blew through the wall he’d put around himself. His heart swelled with pride and love and he couldn’t help it. He started telling the baby all about how their life was going to be once he got out of this stupid sterile room. About everything he was going to teach the baby, about how much her brother was going to love being a big brother, about how fun Tony was, about how Abby was  _ not _ allowed to give advice on fashion or makeup (girl or boy), practically forgetting Katherine was even there, until her hand rested on his shoulder.

“I’m really, really sorry…because this is beautiful…but logistically…I really gotta pee again.” He blinked, and then laughed. She actually looked a little pained.

“Go, go, I’m fine. My torturer is here anyway, come on in Beelzebub.” 

“Bob. My name is Bob.” The man said, through gritted teeth.

“Whatever. Let’s get my arm fixed so I can hold my kid, huh? Katherine…I’ll be home soon. OK?”

Gibbs-speak for  _ ‘don’t push yourself to come here again.’  _ “OK. And behave, would you?” Bob rolled his eyes. “He hasn’t yet.” His laughter made the baby spin once more, and Katherine gritted her teeth as she wheeled toward the bathroom.

Things were gonna be OK.


	41. It's good to be home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gibbs comes home.
> 
> Katherine is 28ish weeks

Two days before Halloween was Gibbs’s target date to come home. He’d been in the hospital 6 weeks, the first 2 in ICU, 2 more in a regular room, and 2 more in rehab, until his doctors were satisfied he was fully capable of NOT hurting himself even more when he left. Anyone else they would have insisted on a few more weeks of rehab, but Gibbs flat out refused, and Ducky accepted responsibility for the continuation of his care. They’d had to do a lot of damage to his body just to get to the bullet, so it wasn’t just about his collarbone. Thankfully, after seeing Katherine and talking to the baby, he seemed to turn over a new leaf. He actually listened to the doctors about his PT, and was going above and beyond. They did have to restrict his exercise at first, for fear he would overstress his healing injuries, but at this point, he was only dealing with a small amount of restriction to his range of motion and some general aches. Nothing a few more weeks of routine stretching wouldn’t help.

On the plus side, the extra “free time” he had gained by not working had let him work out and build back all of his strength and even found a few muscles he feared were lost a decade ago. Tony hadn’t seen his slightly more muscled physique yet…he was sure it would be a pleasant surprise. And maybe distract from the thick 16” long scar running down the center of his body.

*****

“I’m serious, J, she’s gone nuts.” Tony was trying to explain the seriousness of the situation in their home.  _ Their _ home. It sounded nice. Tony was still working on the logistics of some of the larger pieces of furniture, but dealing with hospitals and his caseload had forced him to set that aside for a while.

“Not gone, Tone…she  _ went _ a long time ago,” Jethro chuckled. Abby was unique. There was no way she  _ wouldn’t _ have planned something. “But thanks for the heads up.” The rest of the ride was silent. A silence that Jethro was not comfortable with, but he knew Tony would open up later.

They pulled up to the house and Tony started to get out. “Wait,” Jethro touched his wrist. Tony sat back down. “I missed you.” 

Tony felt his heart beating nearly out of his chest. “I missed you too. More than you can imagine.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I can imagine.” He pulled Tony into a kiss. What he really wanted was to curl up together and spend a week just reconnecting. He was thoroughly lectured on no ‘strenuous activities,’ but it wasn’t about sex. He  _ ached _ to be with him. From the look in Tony’s eyes, the feeling was mutual.

“They’re waiting.” Tony whispered, closing his eyes and resting their foreheads together. 

“Let ‘em.”

Tony smiled. They’d discussed just running off for a weekend alone, but both felt too guilty leaving their friends like that. A few hours of socialization would assuage their guilt, and then they’d stay in their little cocoon for a few days, all by themselves. Tony had threatened Vance with a visit from Gibbs, so their team was off rotation.

*****

“Abby, holy crap, seriously?” McGee walked into Gibbs’s house to find the place covered in streamers and balloons and a giant banner that said “Welcome Home Bossman!” Katherine and Jimmy looked a little overwhelmed—the former blowing up balloons, the latter taping them using a detailed 3-D diagram that apparently Abby had printed just for this event.

“What?” She smiled, innocently. “He’s coming home! Party pooper over there,” she motioned toward Katherine, “said ‘no’ to the Halloween theme, so I stuck with primary colors, but it’s gotta be a party!”

McGee shook his head and carried the food to the kitchen. Ducky and Breena were already there. “Can we stay in here when he comes in? He’s gonna flip…” McGee was a little concerned.

Ducky smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. “Timothy, as long as we make sure to inform him that this was Miss Abigail’s doing, I do believe he will be fine. Anthony has already warned him of the epic proportions of this shindig, against Miss Sciuto’s wishes, so he won’t be blindsided at least. Although, that reminds me, there was this one time when he first joined NIS and we learned his birth date…Mike Franks knew of his aversion to surprises and decided to throw a massive party in his honor…” Ducky let Breena finish setting up the few appetizers that were left and regaled McGee in the story of Gibbs’s first surprise party at work. Pointy hats, noisemakers and all. McGee REALLY wished there were photos. Ducky winked at that and assured him they existed.

“He’s coming! He’s coming! Hide!” Abby ducked behind the couch and everyone else just stared at her. Katherine hid her laughing behind an obviously fake coughing fit as Tony opened the door for Gibbs. Abby jumped up from her hiding place, tossing confetti in the air, and yelled “SURPRISE!!!” Nobody moved for several seconds, until she dropped her hands to her hips with a pout. “Gu-uys!” 

Gibbs laughed and opened his arms. “Come here.” Abby squealed and ran to him, slowing just before she barreled into him and hugged him from the side. He winced, but she’d avoided most of his healing injuries.

The party was great. Even Gibbs was laughing and socializing for most of it, but by the end, he was getting visibly tired. Tony pulled Ducky aside and the pair agreed to send everyone home ASAP. Abby and Tony were cleanup crew, since Tony was working on moving in and Abby had spent almost the entire past 6 weeks there as well, but everyone else cleared what they could and left a little peace and quiet in their wake.

“Leave that.” Gibbs said to Tony, sitting at the table. Tony placed another wet dish in the drainer. “C’mere.” He patted his lap. 

Tony turned and rested on the counter. “Not sure you’re up to having me in your lap.”

“OK,” he slid another chair across the floor with his foot until it was across from him. “Sit.”

Tony tossed the towel over his shoulder and sat, facing Jethro.

“How are you?” Jethro asked.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Tony half smirked, obviously too tired for an excessive amount of sarcasm.

“No. Ducky already did. I’m tired, but fine. I’m checking on  _ you. _ ”

Tony didn’t know what to do with that. He’d spent the first several weeks of their relationship trying so hard to break down Jethro’s walls that he’d ignored his own. This whole incident left him raw and vulnerable, and he hated it. “I don’t know.” He admitted.

“OK.” Jethro responded. He took Tony’s hands and rubbed slow circles on the backs with his thumbs. “I’m here. I’m home.  _ We’re _ home. Anything else we’ll deal with together.” Tony nodded. “Now, leave the dishes. I’m sick of sleeping alone.” He stood and pulled Tony with him.

As they entered the living room, they found Abby on Katherine’s lap, kissing fairly intently. 

*ehem* Jethro cleared his throat. Abby scrambled and jumped back as if caught by her parents. Katherine groaned. “I thought you guys went to bed already.”

“And I thought there was no funny business for you for another…” Katherine shot him a glare that said  _ don’t remind me.  _ Gibbs backed off. “Just, be good.” He took Tony’s hand and ascended the stairs quickly.

When they got upstairs, he pulled Tony to him into a tight embrace. He ignored the complaints from some of the still sensitive areas of his body and just held him. Tony’s hands slid around his waist, wrapped around his back, and fisted in his shirt. Jethro could feel Tony’s pulse quicken, his breath was shallow, but it wasn’t desire. He was fighting back tears and panic. His hands tightened against the fabric, afraid to pull Jethro any closer, until he whispered, “I won’t break.”

Tony, however, did break. Since the first two days when he’d been a wreck, Tony had been the epitome of self-containment. He told himself, every morning, that it would be fine. He knew it, logically. He did what he was supposed to do. He was still kicking ass at work, making McGee step it up, he visited Jethro every day he could, spending most nights there, he took care of insurance and worker's comp and retirement paperwork, he made sure Jethro had his own clothes and decent coffee. But until he was home, until it was real, he didn’t think he’d believed it would  _ really _ be ok. He just wanted to hold his lover and never let him go. He rested his smooth cheek on Jethro’s rough one and spread his hands across his shoulder blades. “I can’t let you go. I don’t even know if this feels real yet.” He was shaking and his knees threatened to give way.

“Let’s get to bed.” Jethro told him, and Tony followed his lead. Tony sat on the bed in his boxers as he watched Jethro disrobe. He’d tried to help, but was met with an angry grunt. The polo came off and Tony blinked a few times. Jethro’s body had changed in the past 6 weeks. He knew he’d lost weight at first, after the surgery, but…

He reached out to touch the defined biceps, and the abs he could see through the undershirt. “Not yet,” Jethro whispered. He swallowed and took a deep breath, pulling the shirt over his head to reveal the only thing he was self-conscious about. He was almost afraid Tony would be disgusted by such a glaring reminder of the past 6 weeks, but after the initial gasp, Tony was standing in front of him, laying gentle kisses across his neck and shoulders, placing one on the scar that started the whole thing, then working down to  _ the _ scar. “Is this OK?” He asked, before continuing. Jethro nodded and let Tony show him how he felt.

After being thoroughly covered by Tony’s lips, Jethro pulled him into bed. Tony rolled him onto his back and lay on his side, holding his head up so he could look at everything before him. He ran his fingers across every crease—muscle and scar—making Jethro shiver. “So you’re a gym rat now?” He joked. “I think your muscles have muscles.”

Jethro ran his fingers through Tony’s hair and tugged a little. “Not like I’m Arnold Schwarzenegger”

Tony hummed, “that was so much hotter than a head slap.”

Jethro sighed, trying to control his breathing, “Tony…can we pretend you didn’t hear the doctor’s orders against strenuous activity?”

Tony whimpered, but tensed a little. “No. I can’t. I won’t let you hurt yourself.”

Jethro’s hand tightened in Tony’s hair. “if we make it  _ less _ strenuous?” His voice was lower, gruffer. Tony’s upstairs brain said it definitely wasn’t a good idea. Downstairs Tony overruled, and the second his tension broke, he found himself on his back, Jethro pulling off his boxers.

“Um, I think this is the opposite of ‘less strenuous,’ if you’re planning on…” Tony’s statement was cut off by a wet finger suddenly inside him. “Shit….” He hissed.

“Tony, let me decide what’s too strenuous. You’ve taken care of  _ everyone _ lately. Let me take care of you.” In the weeks before the shooting, Jethro had gotten as far as getting two fingers inside Tony while practicing his oral skills, but they hadn’t graduated to this. 

Tony was apprehensive—he knew how his lover got when he was aroused, and he could hurt himself. “I just think--” Another finger stopped him mid-word.

He moaned, as Jethro pulled his hands above his head and held them there. “Stop. Thinking.” He didn’t have any grandiose ideas of his abilities, given how tired he was, but he knew Tony needed this. Needed someone else to take control, even if it was just for a little while. Tony relaxed into the soft sheets, letting another finger slide into him with relative ease. It had been a long time, but he knew how to make it easier. Jethro gave an evil grin as he brushed his finger gently across Tony’s prostate, the shudder and complete submission of the man beneath him made him groan. 

He was well aware of his limits, and the other two people in the house, but he couldn’t wait. He pulled his hand from Tony and coated his cock with lube. He paused, meeting Tony’s eyes. Tony closed them and bit his lower lip with a whimper, nodding slightly. And Jethro placed his hand over Tony’s mouth as he plunged into him. Tony moaned harshly into his hand, straining against the other hand pinning his wrists, and Jethro pulled his hands back. He waited, just a moment, for Tony to get his bearings, before leaning over his lover, resting his weight on his elbows, and kissing Tony gently. They’d gone from zero to 60 in just a few minutes, but now he was content to coast…to take it easy and just make love to the most important person in his life.

Soon, he felt Tony tighten around him. “Please, J…” He wrapped his legs around Jethro's waist, pulling him deeper. Jethro didn't change his pace, just his angle, ensuring he was hitting Tony just right with every thrust. He got the hang of it pretty quick, and Tony was arching his back into the rhythm. When he himself couldn't take much more, he reached between them and with a practiced hand, slowly stroked Tony. The change in Tony’s body when he did that was too much, and Jethro found himself  closer to the edge than he anticipated. “Tony...now…” his thrusts were still slow and deep, but his hand tightened and sped up. As he felt himself losing control, Tony bit back a moan and pulled him down for a kiss, tumbling over the edge himself.

As much as he wanted to stay together and relish the post-coital bliss, Jethro fell back onto the bed with a pained grunt. He felt Tony use his undershirt to clean up as best he could, then curl up next to him, an arm and a leg thrown across his body. He wrapped his good arm around Tony and sighed. It was good to be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize, my knowledge of hospital procedure is limited to cancer and heart issues, not surgery/trauma, so I hope most of this was believable!


	42. Thanksgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Thanksgiving! Katherine is around 32 weeks

Katherine sat on the chair, anxiously watching out the front window. It was too cold to wait outside, or she would have. Jethro had gone to pick up Nate from the airport, and she couldn't wait to see her son. Just as she started to fall asleep, she heard the car skid into the driveway. Nate leapt out of the passenger seat, pulled a small duffel bag with him, and bounded toward the house. He took the steps 2 or 3 at a time and threw open the door before Jethro even had a chance to get his car door closed.

“Mom?! I'm home!”

Katherine couldn't wait, so she stood and went to her son. “Sweetie! Oh, it's so good to see you! Did you get taller somehow?” When Jethro got through the door, she could've sworn he was taller than his uncle.

Nate laughed. “Maybe? I dunno, but let's sit and chat.” Jethro smiled at him for smoothly taking care of his mom, and carried a second duffle to Nate’s room, thinking  _ Boy’s here for 5 days and he brought half his room _ .

Thanksgiving went off without too many hitches. Tony and McGee were almost late, of course, but that wasn't unexpected. They’d been working on a case and it took them almost a full day to apprehend the suspect. When they finally came through the door, Gibbs was just about to carve into the turkey Ducky had brought. “Hey! Don't start without us!” Tony shouted, mock disappointment on his face.

“Take the fastest shower of your life, and get down here. I'll wait 5 minutes.” Jethro told his lover as he waved him toward the stairs.

“Tim, use my bathroom.” Katherine offered, and McGee nodded his thanks. He doubted 5 minutes would be enough to wash off the grime of the day, but tried his best.

10 minutes later, he came downstairs to find that Gibbs had tented the turkey with foil and placed it back in the oven to keep it warm. He'd bluffed, which was unheard of just 6 months ago. Wisely, he kept that nugget of insight to himself as he sat next to his wife and gave her a hug. Delilah smiled. “Glad to see you're back...and you smell…” she sniffed… “is that...apricot?” McGee blushed.

Katherine chuckled. “Forgot shampoo?” He nodded. He was going to skip it but even as short as his hair was, it still felt gross. “Don't worry about it, you're family.” Katherine smiled at him. Delilah giggled, “only by marriage.” Katherine had been pleasantly surprised to discover that the new Mrs. McGee was actually a cousin on her father’s side.

“Real men can smell fruity, McGee,” Tony said as he came down the stairs. “Irish spring Old Spice over here refuses to admit it, but it’s true.” Gibbs grunted and went to the kitchen to retrieve the turkey.

After dinner, the whole group congregated in the living room. Tony’s big screen hung on the wall, and his sofa sat where Gibbs’s ancient one once resided. There were 2 matching rocking chairs that had been test projects of Jethro’s, working with a local upholsterer. They were incredibly comfortable, and matched the fabrics of the sofa almost perfectly, but Jethro wouldn't make any more. Too much effort, and not enough market. He preferred seeing the fruits of his labor, not covering them up with padding and fabric, even partially. With those seats, the dining room chairs, and the folding chairs from Gibbs's attic, Abby and Jimmy and Nate were still sitting on the floor.

Conversation never waned, with Ducky's tales and tidbits, Victoria’s antics, Nate's college stories, and Tony's movie impressions. The Palmers were the first to leave, after Victoria fell asleep in McGee’s arms. Delilah gave him a warm smile that only a few people noticed. Katherine made a mental note to ask her cousin about that one later. Soon after, McGee and Delilah left with Ducky following at their heels, still describing his Thanksgiving as a 3rd year medical student. Bishop had spent the holiday with family, but Skyped in around 4 to say hi. Corolli only stayed for dinner, much to Tony's objection. She was a good agent, but still needed some time to become part of the 'family’ so to speak.

Gibbs offered Fornell and Emily the couch [it was much more comfortable than his old one] but they too decided to head home. “Congrats uncle Gibbs” Emily said as she hugged him. “Can I babysit?”

Gibbs kissed the top of her head, “Couldn't think of anyone better.”

Fornell shook his hand. “First time I've spent more than five minutes with you that you haven't been a bastard. Domestic life looks good on you,” he said with a grin.

Gibbs thought about growling at him or throwing some sarcastic remark back, but then he looked at Nate and Abby playing some kind of rather animated card game in front of the fireplace, Tony giggling with his hands on Katherine's belly, and smiled. “Guess so.”

*****

When everything was cleaned up, Tony pulled Jethro into a kiss, then proceeded to swipe a handful of soap suds down his shirt. As the boys sparred in the kitchen, Katherine took Abby's hand. “The rest of this stuff can wait. Come to bed.”

Abby hesitated. “But you know Gibbs will want this place ship shape tomorrow.”

“Yeah, and I'll tell him it's my fault.”

“You go, you shouldn't be standing here anyway. I'll be up in a bit.” Abby turned from Katherine and returned to her task. Katherine sighed and went to her room.  _ Their _ room, she hoped, at some point. She'd really liked having Abby with her every night she could get home. At first, it was because Jethro was in the hospital, and they were both rattled by it. When he came home, Abby made a show of bringing a bunch of her stuff back to her apartment, since she wasn't “really needed.”

It wasn't meant to hurt, but those words stung. Most of the things had made their way back over the past few weeks, but they hadn't talked about it. Katherine spent half the time convinced she was just over thinking this, and the other half convinced Abby was only staying because she feared repercussions from Gibbs.

Katherine wasn't sure if it was her hormones talking, but she wanted to ask Abby to move in. She'd never do it without discussing it with Jethro, obviously, but it was also not something she'd ever truly wanted before.

“Hey.” The voice at her bedroom door made her jump.

“Hey yourself.” She said to her son as she took off her reading glasses and sat down the book she wasn't really reading anyway.

“You're too quiet.” He knew her and her moods better than most.

She smiled. “I'm just tired, sweetie.”

He crossed his arms and shook his head. “I'm not buying it. What's on your mind. Come on, mom, I'm an adult, talk to me.”

She laughed. “Hon, you've been out of the house for what, 3 months? Just because you're 18 doesn't mean you're not my little boy.”

“Don't change the subject.”

_ He's good.  _ She sighed. “I'm just...I don't even know. Abby's acting weird.”

“Abby's always weird, mom.” He tried for humor.

“No, like… Part of me thinks I'm crazy and I'm imagining this. Part of me feels like Abby doesn't even want to be with me anymore, she's just staying because she doesn't want to upset Jethro.” She couldn't believe she was telling him this. It sounded like a sappy teenage after school special on relationships. He’s her  _ son _ for God's sake. And he already was suspicious of Abby’s attitudes.

But he seemed to understand.  “What did she do?” The last time Katherine was feeling upset at Abby, she’d done specific things and said some things that were really hurtful. Things they'd been able to talk about and get past. But now…

“Nothing specific. It's just like she doesn't want to be near me as much. She stayed here while Jethro was in the hospital, but once he came home, she’s been distancing herself.”

He sat next to her on the bed. “Did you talk with  _ her _ about it? It's what you always told me, mom. Never assume, it makes an ass out of you and me.”

Katherine sighed. When did the tables turn, and her 18 year old son became the voice of reason? “No.” She said, sheepishly.

“You gotta. Look, I know you love her, right?” Katherine nodded. “So, you gotta know. Maybe she's got something on her mind too. Stop.” He poked her shoulder. “Being.” Another poke. “Stubborn.” She grabbed his finger that time.

“Fine. Now stop abusing your mother.” She tried for harsh, but ended up laughing. She resisted the urge to tickle him like she did when he was little.

It wasn't until she went to sleep that Abby crept into the room. She silently pulled off her boots and stripped down to her black boy shorts with white skulls. She crawled in behind Katherine and tucked her close. “I love you,” she whispered into her neck, and quickly fell asleep.


	43. What's up with Abby?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katherine and Jethro go to the doctor's, and Abby tells Katherine what's going on.
> 
> NSFW, some mild BDSM  
> Katherine is 35-ish weeks

It had been a little over 6 weeks since Jethro had come home, and construction was going smoothly. The three existing bedrooms and two upstairs bathrooms were going to Katherine and Nate. Tony had suggested they keep them, because it was Jethro's space to begin with, but he declined. He wanted a fresh start with Tony. That wasn't something he'd been able to offer his ex wives. So the three (yes, three) new bedrooms, including a master suite, would be a separate area for Jethro and Tony. Privacy, separate staircases, and each side had room for a nursery, depending on how they worked out sleeping arrangements.

Katherine joked that they were like a Mormon family, trying to squeeze multiple families in one house under a patriarch.

“Only one problem...no more kids” he responded.

“Well...there's always a way…”  He scowled at her. “Oh, not me! I've got the most fun birth control ever, or at least will soon, and unless Abby starts shooting magic from her fingers, we’re good! But you and Tony...there's always surrogates…” He moved to give her a solid slap of the head, but he had used his left hand. She took advantage of his slight weakness and ducked. “Adoption?” Ducked again.

“Why did they let you off bed rest?” He growled.

“Because this kid is almost done cooking. And after they snip that tape or band or whatever over my cervix today, I am totally clear for all activity. Thank _GOD_.”

They were in the waiting room of the doctor's office, and people were giving them funny looks. Katherine didn't care. She'd been kept from exerting herself for too long. She knew she'd get over the energetic feeling soon, given the 25 pounds she'd already gained, but for right now, she was buzzing with excitement. Like Abby after 3 caf-pows.

“Mrs. McDonough?”

Jethro offered his hand out of habit, but Katherine was already up. “I got it, thanks.” She smiled, happy to be moving under her own power.

She paused and looked at him awkwardly, “You don't have to come, if you're not comfortable,” she offered. The visit wasn't directly related to the baby, it was more about her. If he preferred to wait in the waiting room…

“I’m good. You ok with it?”

She laughed, “of course, Marines have no sense of privacy. Yeah, I'm good. Let's go.”

They followed the now-annoyed nurse, who asked the required questions, kicking Jethro out for the ‘does anyone abuse you’ part, then left them alone with the little paper sheet. For her ‘privacy,’ of course.

Jethro was a gentleman, though, and turned his back until he heard her settle back onto the table and cover herself with the paper. “It's safe now,” she told him, then got very quiet.

“Y’ok?” He asked. He was never very good at this part. For Shannon or Diane that one time they thought she might have been pregnant. The waiting. 

“Yeah.” She was just looking at the ceiling.

“What's on your mind?”

She sighed. “After this...the baby could come any time, you know.”

“Yup.”

“Life will change forever.”

“Already has. For the better.” 

She smiled at the ceiling. “Yeah.” Silence filled the room. Then she turned her head toward him. “If you told me I'd be doing ANY of this a year ago I'd have laughed in your face. I figured I'd be working 16 hour days, making more money than I could spend, eating alone every night while Nate was in school, going to networking cocktail parties, smiling at people who would just as soon stab you in the back if they thought it would get them somewhere.” She reached out her hand. He took it automatically. “You could have ignored me the first night. You could have just sent money and lived your life as usual when you found out about this. You could have sued for custody and left me behind. But you're a good man. We're all lucky, Jethro.”

“I'm pretty lucky myself.” He said, kissing the back of her hand. He’d gone from second-b-for-bastard, lonely, closed off Gibbs, to a man with a perfect family. Perfect for him, not that any of them were perfect. He had Tony, he actually enjoyed making furniture to sell, he had negotiated a contract to consult with the alphabet soup of agencies on sniper and Marine cases if necessary, he was gonna have another daughter, he had a woman he considered his sister. Yeah, he was pretty lucky.

There was a knock at the door. “Hello Katherine, Jethro, how are you?” Their doctor was great about their situation. They chatted for a bit as she readied her tray and then told them what was going to happen. “So, we won't be taking out any stitches today. When we did the cerclage, we laid a strip of material across your cervix and stitched that in place, instead of stitching the actual cervix. Once you're healed after the delivery, probably at your 6 week appointment, we can remove everything then, but for now, all we'll be doing is cutting that strip. It is the least traumatic, and hopefully helps you bake this little muffin a few weeks more. Ready?” Katherine nodded. The worst part was the speculum, but wasn't it always? Then she was done. “I'll let you get dressed, then I'll be back to discuss specifics for the delivery, ok?”

Soon enough, Katherine zipped her jeans and the doctor was asking about birth plans and attendants and a ton of stuff. Jethro was a little overwhelmed. When Kelly was born, it was just “ok, push!” And dad passed out cigars. He was zoning when he heard Katherine ask, “now, I don't know your policy on this, but if I am able to do this naturally, would Jethro be able to catch the baby?” 

“Could I WHAT?” Jethro was paying attention _now_.

“Catch the baby. Your baby, why not? Cut the cord too.” Katherine said it like it was no big deal.

“Sure, I don't see a problem. He’d need to be gowned and gloved, but sure” the doctor said.

“Wait, wait,” Jethro held up his hands, “what if I drop the kid?”

The doctor laughed. “This is actually not _that_ unusual a request. I've had plenty of fathers and partners catch babies, and nobody has dropped one yet.” Jethro looked suspicious, but nodded. 

“Now, I know you and Jethro are not a couple, so did you have anyone else you'd like in the room? Generally we limit it to two people, but there's always exceptions, depending on the situation."

Katherine looked down at her hands. “Well, um...I'm not sure if Abby would want to…”

Jethro touched her arm, “wait, what? Of course she does. Why wouldn't she?”

Katherine shook her head and whispered, “nothing.” She looked back at the doctor, “can you put down Anthony DiNozzo and Abigail Sciuto? I gotta talk to them, of course, but…”

The doctor smiled. “I'll put them both down, but you can let us know when you get here too, ok hon?”

More pre-admission paperwork. More questions. And a wink and a nod that Katherine was cleared for any activity she felt up to.

“What the hell was that?”

Katherine sighed as Jethro slammed the car into park in front of the house. The whole ride had been silent until then. “Nothing.” She unbuckled and he grabbed her arm.

“Bullshit. Abby's been _normal_ at work. Tony's been worried. Now this?”

“Normal?” Katherine was stunned. Nobody called Abby normal.

“Yeah. She's putting on a good front for me when she's over, but something's up. Now you.” Jethro sighed. “Come on. Coffee.”

Katherine followed him to the basement, pouring a cup of coffee on the way. Jethro had the shell of a beautiful hutch and matching buffet ready for sanding. He tossed her a block and got started on his own section.

Nothing was said for a while, Katherine pulled up a stool to help her back, but slowly they worked toward each other. Eventually, Jethro looked her square in the eye and she relented. “I don't know what's going on, ok? It's like she’s pulling away, but it's nothing in particular. I told myself it was just my hormones and I was imagining it. But then sometimes it hits me and freaks me out. But then by the time I get a chance to talk to her, I've convinced myself it’s nothing again.”

“Ask her.”

“The great Gibbs, master of non-communication, is telling _me_ to talk?” Katherine huffed in disbelief.

“Yup.” He took a sip of his bourbon. They heard the door open and the heavy *thump* of Tony’s bag by the door.

“I'll leave you two to whatever it is you do in the basement.” She winked and he smirked, watching the stairs with his pupils widening in excitement.

Katherine figured it would be safest to retreat to the sanctuary of what was now her bedroom. It wasn't lost on her that this had been Shannon's bedroom. She’d moved her furniture, but the curtains were still the same. She had her curtains in the attic, but looking at the style of these, she knew they weren't Jethro's choice. She slid her fingers along the silky fabric, still beautiful after at least 20 years, and whispered “what do I do sis?”

The seriousness of her thoughts was interrupted by a rattle of something heavy crashing in the basement, with laughter carrying up the stairs. If only Jethro's patrons knew how much he enjoyed christening each piece, just to test their stability, of course.

It was another half hour before she had her hand on her phone ready to call Abby. As if she were psychic, the front door clicked open and heavy boots were ascending the stairs. She stood and met her lover in the hall. When Abby tried to scoot past with just a brush of her lips, she grabbed her tight. “What's going on?”

Abby blinked several times, “whaddya mean?”

Katherine tried to steer her toward the bedroom, but she pulled back. “I gotta shower…”

“Stop.” Katherine's eyes narrowed. “Something is up, and you're not talking to me. And I thought I was going nuts so I let it go on, but seriously. Don't make me use my lawyer voice.”

Abby had an internal struggle. Katherine saw the indecision in her eyes, and she pulled her into an embrace. Abby wasn't the kind of person to react to tough love when it came to things like this, whatever it was. If she was keeping quiet, it was serious. “Abby, no matter what, I'm here. I'm here, and I love you,” she whispered into Abby's ear. She took a step toward the bedroom and this time, Abby followed. Eventually, the two were sitting on the bed, angled toward each other. Katherine placed a hand on Abby's cheek, her thumb gently stroking hey cheekbone. “Talk to me. Please. I'm going nuts here.”

Abby smiled and covered Katherine's hand with her own. “I'm just worried you don't need me anymore.” She said quietly. “I don't want to push or like, be in the way.”

Katherine felt nauseous. “Did I make you feel that way?” The baby was rolling, which didn't help.

Abby’s face had fallen. “No. Maybe. I don't know. It’s just...I never really thought about kids. I didn't know if I wanted them, or some days I REALLY did, then some days I REALLY didn't. But then I meet you, and I'm totally head over heels for you, and you're having my boss’s baby, and he’s such a good dad, and you're moved in with him, and I know it made sense, because it’s good for the baby to have both of the parents together, but the baby is gonna be like your WHOLE life for a long time, and it's not my baby, and Gibbs is like half of that baby, and…” she started waving her hands when the tears took over her babbling.

“You want to know where you fit in?” Katherine finished for her and pulled her close again. Abby nodded into her shoulder. “Abby, this kid is gonna be the luckiest kid in the world. You have a place with me AND her. Just cuz you're not her biological parent, doesn't mean you're not going to be important in her life. I love you too much.” She got a sniffle in response. “Is Jethro going to push Tony away when the baby is born?” Abby’s head indicated _no_ . “Why would it be different for me? For us? Because we're women? I know a lot of people would expect me to be the baby's main caregiver, with Jethro basically babysitting, but that's a load of sexist horseshit. He and Tony are in the same boat we are, and he would _never_ push Tony away because of this baby. And I would never do it to you either.” She slid her hand to the side of Abby's neck and used her thumb to tip her chin up and captured her lips in a kiss.

“I just don't want to be in the way.” She was serious. Katherine wrapped her hand to the back of Abby's neck and gripped her tight. “You're not in the way.”

“I don't want to be too 'much’ for the baby. I should tone it down, maybe.”

Oh, jeez. “Abigail, I love you for you. Some things, yeah, I may draw a line...like sleeping in a coffin. Creepy ass ghoul mobiles. That sort of thing. But if my baby has a black onesie with a skull on it and her fuzzy hair pulled into a Mohawk, that's ok. Because you're mine, and this baby will grow up with you in her life, and I never want you to change.” She felt Abby shaking beneath her hand, but she wasn't quite sure why. She tightened her grip and heard Abby gasp. _Ah._ “Abby. Let me show you. Let me show you how much I want you.”

Abby’s eyes jerked to meet hers. “You can't. It's not fair, if you…”

Katherine put a finger to her lips. “I can do anything I feel up to doing.” With a grin, she slid her fingernails down Abby's back, relishing the hiss and arch and shudder it produced. She paused at Abby’s hip. "your call," she said, and waited. They had a system, and the ball was in Abby's court.

“Green light,” Abby whispered. Katherine grinned.

“Shower. 15 minutes.” She grabbed Abby roughly and kissed her. Whatever Abby chose was good, but they were both so tense and needy that making love just didn't seem like enough right now. They needed each other, desperately. They needed to feel each other and force away the insecurities. Abby groaned when Katherine pushed her toward the bathroom, smacking her ass in the process.

Exactly 14 minutes later, Abby came out of the bathroom, hair still damp, a black towel wrapped around her pale body. Katherine had pulled her hair back and changed into boy shorts and a tank top. She usually was confident about her appearance, but Abby saw how unsure she was. Instead of immediately dropping her towel and following whatever Katherine told her, she stepped toward her lover. “You're beautiful.” She placed a hand on Katherine's stomach, “amazing.”

The words fueled a fire in Katherine's chest. She yanked the towel from Abby's body and took in the sight. In only 15 minutes, Abby had showered and shaved... Katherine slid her hands between her thighs, behind the wide strip of hair she’d left, and found smooth skin. She hated the few times Abby had shaved bare, but this was perfect.

Smooth and slick, she slid her fingers along the sensitive skin of her lips and thighs, at the same time as she grabbed a handful of Abby's wet hair and pulled her head back, baring her throat. “You doubted me.” She said, her voice deep and raspy. Abby whimpered, and Katherine continued. “You pulled away and thought i wouldn't notice. You thought I wouldn't take care of you. You. Didn't. Trust me.” She accentuated each of the last words with a nip to Abby’s throat, leaving several small red marks where her collars usually sit. Red enough that they'd be there in the morning. Abby shuddered and Katherine felt her hand sliding much easier as her arousal increased.

“What do you want?” Katherine asked.

“To please you. It's been too long.” Abby almost begged. Katherine pushed her back toward the bed, not releasing either hand.

“And what do you deserve?” Her voice almost a purr now, lips brushing Abby's earlobe. Abby just moaned. Katherine pulled her hand from between her thighs and grabbed her ass. Hard. “You doubted me. Now, _what_ do you deserve?”

“To learn a lesson,” Abby whispered. Katherine tightened the grip on her ass cheek, releasing her neck, and spun her around, pushing her down onto the bed. “It's been a while. Remember your colors?” She wanted Abby so badly it hurt, but she wanted to make sure Abby remembered the rules. Green was good. Yellow was wait. Red was stop. Abby nodded into the pillow as Katherine straddled the back of her thighs, the round perfect globes of her ass pinned beneath her. “Good. Keep your face down, or we start all over again.” Abby nodded again, her breath coming short and shaky.

Katherine reached into her nightstand and pulled out a flexible purple toy, with 3 chrome strips along its sides. Abby flinched at the sound of the rubber glove, knowing it meant only one thing. The flip of a cap, and Katherine's hand was between her thighs again, brushing against her sensitive hole. She tried to spread her legs, to make it easier, but Katherine held her tight. “You move when I say, not before.” And a finger slid inside her, rotating, spinning, making her bite the pillow to keep from moaning. She'd been celibate for this long, and Katherine was ignoring her throbbing clit, but this was downright torture. Katherine added a second finger, scissoring and stretching, making room for the plug in her other hand.

When Abby was starting to shake, Katherine pulled her fingers free and coated the plug in the clear gel, and spread Abby's cheeks. She pressed the tip into Abby, then retreated, then pressed again, farther this time, and pulled back. She repeated this again and again, until Abby's hips were rocking involuntarily into the action. With one last push, the base of the plug slid into place, anchoring tight against Abby's skin. Katherine let Abby feel the two wires settle on her back as she chose the strength and pattern of the stimulation. Abby gasped when Katherine hit the button, and she asked, “color?”

“Green” Abby moaned into her pillow. This unit was definitely a good purchase. Katherine slid off Abby's thighs and pulled her hips up, sliding two pillows beneath her. “How many?”

“What?” Abby's voice barely audible.

“How many?” Katherine ran her fingernails across the soft skin of Abby's ass, stopping to flick the end of the plug on each pass. “Twenty?” She wasn't sure… Was that enough? Would Katherine want more?

“Count them.” Katherine squeezed her cheek and then brought her hand down hard. Abby jumped, but said “one.” It'd been a long few months, and the sudden strike combined with the jolt from the plug in her ass had her writhing on the bed. She knew Katherine wouldn't stop until she hit 20, or Abby stopped her with yellow or red, so she tried to slow her breathing. When she got to 15, Abby was practically Jell-O on the bed, shaking and quivering with each touch, and Katherine was enjoying the sounds she made from each blow and the gentle caresses in between.

At 20, Katherine leaned over Abby and pressed on the small of her back. Abby knew to stay where she was, the cool air soothing the hot, stinging skin of her ass. Katherine returned quickly, draping a cool cloth over her skin, kissing every bit of enraged flesh. She lowered the intensity of the plug and asked, “color?”

“Green.” Abby felt the wetness pooling below her, felt Katherine's fingers sliding into her.

“What do you want?” She asked again. Abby purred, “to please you.” Katherine stopped moving her hand and flicked the plug, “don't lie to me. What do you want?” Abby moaned, “to cum. Please.”

Katherine smiled, “that's better.” She pulled the pillows from under Abby's hips and turned her over. Abby gasped when Katherine straddled her hips, pressing her own wet shorts against Abby's skin, and forcing the plug deeper inside. “Do you want to fuck me?” Katherine asked, making Abby's eyes open wide. Abby nodded and reached for the shorts, but Katherine stopped her. She stood and pulled off the clothes, not caring about her insecurities from before, and pulled another, brand new, toy from the drawer. “I bought something, hoping we could use it soon,” she explained. It was shaped like an L, and quickly Katherine slid the shorter end inside Abby. She gasped and tried to contain her moan, but Katherine leaned over her. “I like hearing you,” she said, and wrapped her lips around one of Abby's hard and sensitive nipples. She grasped the long end of the toy and began slowly thrusting into Abby, brushing her clit with each pass. She felt the changes in Abby's body and stopped just before she came, smirking at the groan and frustrated huff that Abby let out.

Katherine let Abby come down for just a moment, gently scraping her sides, occasionally stopping to pinch or nip, and then she again swung her leg over Abby’s hips. Except this time, she lowered herself onto the longer half of the toy Abby held tight inside her. “Fuck” she hissed. She reached down and pulled Abby up to her as best she could, and kissed her passionately. “Make me cum.” She ordered, and Abby purred, “yes ma'am.”

She pushed Abby back into the bed and felt Abby’s hands reach for her clit. Abby took some time getting used to the motion of fucking the woman on top of her, but once she caught a rhythm, Katherine leaned back onto her hands and cried out. “Fuck, yes!” She changed her angle just enough that Abby was thrusting against her g-spot, and from Abby's change in her moans, she assumed she’d tipped the toy for her too. Abby's hands rubbing her clit threatened to send her over the edge, and she grabbed her own nipple, knowing just how hard to squeeze and pinch to make her cum that much harder. Abby’s rhythm was breaking, she was close, and her free hand was gripping the sheets by her hip. Katherine grabbed her loose hand and pushed it between them. Abby instantly began touching her own clit in time with Katherine’s, and the pair screamed their release, fucking each other hard for a good 30 seconds.

Katherine fell forward onto her outstretched arms, panting and smiling at the twitching woman beneath her. She took pity and turned off the stimulation, unplugging the wires from the plug, but left the plug in place. “I may want to use it in the morning.” She pulled the new toy from Abby, who groaned at the loss, but quickly gripped it before pulling it from Katherine's body. She pushed gently on Katherine's shoulders and kissed her. “I'll clean up.”

In 5 minutes, Abby returned with the clean toy in its bag, bent over to give Katherine a flash of the plug and put it away, and threw a towel over the wet spot on the bed. They snuggled for a while, until Abby gasped in concern, “'omigod! I didn't hurt the baby, did I? Or scar her for life? Do you feel ok?”

Katherine laughed and kissed her. “I'm fine. Baby's fine. Hell, probably rocked her to sleep, she’s barely moving.”

“Ok. Gibbs would kill me.”

“Probably. Now sleep. We're not done talking about this, you know,”

“Yeah. But I feel better. Sorry.”

“Nothing to apologize for. We’ll get over it. I know we will.”

*****

“Damn.” Tony was impressed. “Go Abby.” Jethro's hand connected with the back of his head. “Hey! What? I’m pretty sure the whole neighborhood heard that, not just me!”

“Yeah, and if you don't go to sleep, I'll make you scream like that too.”

“Promise?” Tony snuggled against Jethro's side, his ass still sore from earlier--the ride AND the fall. They'd moved upstairs after that, and Jethro was surprised at his recovery time when he’d come a second time in as many hours buried deep in Tony's ass.

Downstairs Jethro was already taking notice of the 'show’ from the other side of the house, and their pillow talk. “Promise,” he grumbled, as Tony absentmindedly brushed his fingers across his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went a little crazy writing this chapter. It's like twice the length I usually write lol. Hope it's not too much!
> 
> Although chapter 44 is ready for editing and it's even longer, so...oh well :)
> 
> And lastly, my description of a cerclage is based loosely on what a friend of mine had. Not sure how accurate it is lol, forgive me.


	44. Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas and the next few days at casa de Gibbs
> 
> Katherine is about 37 weeks

“Tonyyyyyyy!” Abby whined, “it's Christmas Eve! Can't we go home? Please? Just for a little while?”

“Abs, stop. The longer you whine, the longer it takes to get this sonofabitch.” Tony was exhausted. He hadn't been home in 3 days, because apparently some asshole suicide bomber thought it would be a good idea to blow up a navy pier just as a ship was docking for holiday shore leave. Thankfully there was only one death, so far, but 7 serious injuries and 12 superficial, with 3 people in critical condition, was nothing to sneeze at. The bomber was the only one killed, but he wasn't acting alone. More threats were made, and they were working with other teams and Interpol to stop this cell.

*****

“Jethro, my boy, you must stop this pacing. I fear your beautiful floors may develop a trough from your feet alone.” Ducky was trying to make his famous cranberry sauce, but his friend's worry was overwhelming.

“Duck, it's been 3 days. Those bastards are out there, and Tony's killing himself to find them.” Gibbs slammed his hand against the door frame. “And I'm here cooking a goddamn  _ ham dinner. _ ” He spat the words as if they disgusted him.

“Jethro.” Ducky stood behind his friend, wearing his festive Christmas apron. “Anthony will catch them. If we have to hold our celebration for another day, we will.”

“It's not the food, Duck.” Jethro's lip curled in frustration.

“I know.” Ducky put his hand on Gibbs's shoulder.

“He needs help.” Jethro felt his tension wane just a bit with the touch from his friend.

“But you can't rescue him, Jethro. He's an excellent agent. I dare say as good as you. He and Timothy have developed into a well oiled machine since you've left. Your leaving has helped him grow in ways you cannot imagine, and I can assure you that you have done the right thing. In fact, I've discussed with Mr. Palmer the possibility of joining you in your blessed retirement.”

Gibbs turned, shocked. “You, Duck? But you live for the work.”  _ And you're alone at home _ was his unspoken thought. Jethro had left NCIS not only to push Tony to be the best he could be, but also to take care of his family.

“Jethro, in case you haven't noticed, I wasn't a particularly young man when you started at NIS. Now I've watched one of my best friends go through an entire career and retire, and it has given me pause.” He brought a hand to finger the fine silk of his newest bow tie, a gift of beautiful deep red, and smiled. “I also must confess that I have maintained some level of communication with a friend in London. She has made some rather interesting suggestions as to what I could do with my time, should I retire.”

Jethro smirked, “ _ suggestions  _ eh?”

Ducky blushed and returned to the kitchen. “Yes, my boy, but I am a gentleman and will not reveal their nature.”

“Oh, I'm pretty sure you just did, Duck.” Jethro laughed and followed him into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a beer.

“It IS only 10 o’clock in the morning,” Ducky admonished.

“It's 5 o’clock somewhere, Duck.”

Their musings were interrupted by a crash and a shout from upstairs. “Katherine,” Jethro gasped as he dropped his bottle and ran up the stairs, two at a time.

“Ow, ow, ow” Katherine scrunched her face as Jethro helped her up. She heard Ducky coming and grabbed the towel from the floor to cover herself.

“Oh my dear, are you quite alright? Are you injured?” Ducky asked as he followed Jethro into the bathroom.

“Just my pride, thanks.” Katherine said, as she tried to help Jethro guide her to sit on the toilet.

“Jesus, Katie, what happened?”

Katherine rolled her eyes, “You find me lying like an overturned turtle on the wet bathroom floor, and you need to ask?” She sighed. “My center of balance is a little off. That happens when you turn into a blimp, you know. I slipped stepping out of the shower and couldn't catch myself.”

“You need to be checked out? You ok?” The concern in Jethro's eyes was apparent.

Katherine pulled his hand to her belly. Apparently the baby thought this was the start of a dance party. “She’s fine. I'll have a bruise on my ass, probably, but I'm fine. Thank you for saving me from my klutzy self, guys, really, but I'm fine. Can I get dressed please?”

Ducky pushed Jethro out of the way and pressed his hands to her back, neck, shoulders, and the back of her head. She winced. “My dear, did you hit your head?”

Katherine sighed. “Not that hard, Ducky. No changes in vision, no loss of consciousness, no blood, barely a goose egg. My butt took the worst of it, believe me.”

He looked over his glasses at her. “I'll let you get dressed, but I'll do a neuro check as soon as you're done. And probably a few more today.”

Jethro interrupted, “and if he says you're going to the doctor, you're going.” His jaw was set, arms folded across his chest.

“Ok,  _ Dad _ .” Her embarrassment was making her awfully irritated right now.

“And, this tumble could have caused a bit of a chain reaction, so if you feel anything unusual with the baby, or contractions or a breaking of your waters, please inform me or Jethro.” Ducky's voice was quiet and calm. Possibly for Jethro's benefit as well as hers.

“No worries, guys, I won't suffer in silence.” She held out a hand and Jethro immediately helped her stand as she wrapped herself in the towel as best she could. Ducky gracefully turned and averted his eyes as she passed and shuffled into the bedroom in search of clothes.  _ God, that was embarrassing.  _ She struggled to get herself into her clothes as quickly as possible, and when she opened the door, found they hadn't returned downstairs. “Ok, I'm fine. Baby's fine. No contractions, nothing. Let's go downstairs before you two have a stroke from staring at me too hard.”

Ducky laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they descended the stairs. “Did I tell you about this time when I was a doctor for the Royal Air Force, and a young woman was utterly convinced she wasn't pregnant, even as I found her giving birth? Oh my, she was so young, but one would think…”

*****

Abby’s babies and Mc-Rolli’s computer skills and Bishop’s intuition had gotten them the information and connections they needed. Abby was in their ears guiding them through the dark building toward the room they had identified as the center of the cell. When Tony broke through the door, and McGee dropped onto the fire escape, Abby held her breath. The gunfire made her jump and shake, but she knew she couldn't do anything, and yelling into their ears would only make things worse. Finally, the shots stopped, and she heard Tony grunting and then “you have the right to remain silent. Unless we send you to Gitmo…” and she was able to breathe again.

“Guys, everyone ok?” She squeaked. She knew they had backup, and there wasn't much panic, but she had to ask.

McGee responded, “all good, Abbs. One of theirs is done, one needs medical attention, and two captured, but we're good.”

“Merry Christmas!” She jumped up and down. “Tony, you wanna surprise Mr Grinch, or should I call?”

“You do it Abbs. Still gonna take a bit to wrap up here.” Tony's voice got more distant as he spoke to his prisoner this time, grunting as he picked him off the floor. “Let's go, dirtbag.”

*****

“Thanks Abs, see you soon.” Jethro flipped his phone shut and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the clock. 4pm. If Tony kept his reports until after dinner, he might be home by 7. Ducky was sitting in the living room with Katherine, who had somehow managed to get him to talk about Maggie, his 'friend’ in London. Jethro smiled at the light in Ducky's eye as he talked about her, and couldn't help but laugh when he overheard, “oh my, how she maintains her figure after all these years, I'll never know. Her gluteal muscles are as firm as they were when we were med students!”

“She’s got a great ass. You can say it, Duck, we won't judge,” he said as he came into the room, putting a hand on his shoulder. “We’re a go for 1900 hours. Give or take. Abby will be here soon to help, but let's get this going!”

His “team” headed for the kitchen. He knew Katherine was disappointed Nate wouldn't be here until tomorrow, but apparently he had made arrangements to spend Christmas Eve with his girlfriend. Thankfully, the girl's father seemed to be warming up to him, and allowed him to crash on the couch. He opened his phone again and headed for the basement to call Tony.

At the bottom of the stairs, he reached into his workbench to pull out the bin of wrapped presents. The smallest of which was the most elaborately wrapped--he’d gone to a store for that job. He smiled as he held the small wooden object in his hand and dialed the number. “Hey babe.”

_ Hey, Abby called? _

“Yeah. Bring the paperwork home. I know I said no work at home, but…”

_ But it's Christmas and I'd rather be there doing paperwork than here doing paperwork? _

“Yeah.”

_ I'll do what I can. Still processing and tying up loose ends. _

“Dinner at 1900. Plans after.”

Tony laughed,  _ OK Boss. _

“Hey,” Jethro quickly said, before Tony hung up, “Love you.”

_ I love you too J. _

Jethro shut his phone with a satisfying *click* and brought the bin of gifts upstairs.

Christmas carols filled the house and assaulted his ears when he opened the door, and he thought about hitting the power button until he noticed Katherine and Ducky dancing together in the kitchen.  _ Polka. Seriously?  _ Polka or some similar bouncing dance to some silly song about a Christmas Donkey. He rolled his eyes and turned the volume down, holding his hands up at the groans of disappointment. “Come on, my ears are bleeding.”

Katherine came into the living room and caught him around the waist, trying to spin him in a dance, “oh, smile. It's Christmas.”

“Maybe, but I don't dance.” He hooked the box of gifts on his hip and patted her arm. Abby's pout was starting to really wear off. He hoped that wouldn't carry over when she returned to work. He did smile then, just picturing her pouting and stomping her foot at a box of 12 jurors. Quickly, he dropped the smile and bent over to place the gifts under the tree. Almost all were made by his own hand. He wasn't usually one for gifts, but he’d started making trinkets between projects, and it was actually a good exercise to try and figure out what each person would prefer. He went over the list in his head:

  * Victoria Palmer: an ‘old school’ as Abby would say, wooden duck on wheels that had rubber feet so it would flap when she pulled it with the attached rope.
  * Breena and Jimmy: A spinning spice rack, since Palmer had started really getting into his cooking techniques.
  * Delilah and McGee: a storage Ottoman with a top that could be used as a padded footrest, or turned over to use as a serving tray. Inside was a small bag with a collection of wooden chewing and teething rings, naturally dyed a variety of vibrant colors. Yeah, he knows everything.
  * Nate: a picture of the brand new dresser in his room, since his old one had been usurped for baby clothes
  * Katherine: an ornately carved photo frame with space left for a birth date, so she could bring a photo of the baby to work with her when it was time
  * Baby: Two cradles, so they wouldn't have any hassle when they figured out sleeping arrangements (those were still in the basement)
  * Ducky: a rack designed to hang in his closet and properly store his multitude of bow ties
  * Bishop: a simple wine rack. Nothing fancy, but the curved design had been difficult to achieve.
  * Corolli: a small plaque to hang behind her desk with her rank stripes and the USMC seal.
  * Abby: hand carved skull chopsticks that could double as hair stick thingies. She’d oohed and aaahed at some at the mall, so he figured they'd be appreciated.
  * Leyla: a cherry jewelry box with a recessed frame on the top and a photo of her and Amira
  * Amira: an assortment of furniture for the dollhouse he had made her months earlier
  * Fornell: a small box with four whiskey stones, each engraved with his initials
  * Emily: a mirror with a flower border and braces on the side that, if his measurements were correct, should fit perfectly on her vanity whose mirror had broken off years ago.



Some would have to be delivered the next day, or when people came back from traveling, but he was satisfied with his choices.

Tony’s gift was the smallest of them all, but had taken the most time. He’d hand carved the box himself, and made sure it fit what was inside perfectly. His upholsterer friend had gifted him a velvet that matched Tony’s eyes for the lining, and he’d chosen a dark mahogany with slight red tones to the stain that reminded him of Tony's hair. The fact that the box resembled a traditional ring box did not escape him. He planned on giving this to Tony in private, and had a speech in his head already. Tony, as much as he joked about all his conquests and being an incurable flirt and having commitment issues, _was_ the “get married and settle down” type. He’d ‘go there’ the second he saw a small fancy box, and Jethro wanted to make sure he understood. Jethro had gone through 3 divorces and just didn't want to do it again. Maybe someday, and maybe with Tony, he’d do the marriage thing, but not now. His gift was thought out, special, but nothing more. For now.

It was 1700 and Jethro heard a car in the driveway. Katherine looked out the window and he saw a smile spread across her face. He was happy she and Abby seemed to have ironed out whatever was going on. Tony was starting to think Abby was getting really depressed.

“Hey hot mama!” Abby said as she pulled Katherine into a kiss that didn't end until Jethro cleared his throat. “Oh, hey Papa Bear! Merry Christmas!” She jumped at him and he caught her in an embrace, laughing as he lifted her off her feet. The extra workouts and PT had paid off.

Abby and Fornell helped finish dinner (it was Emily's year with Diane's family for Christmas Eve) and Tony arrived at about 1830. He immediately stomped up the stairs to give himself a good soak in the jet tub they'd splurged on in the construction. He didn't notice Jethro standing in the doorway for several minutes. He opened his eyes a crack, “shouldn't you be helping somewhere?”

Jethro smirked and walked to the edge of the tub. “Lavender?” He read the label on the purple crystals Tony had poured into the hot water.

“It’s relaxing” Tony quipped, and flipped a splash of water at his lover.

“I'll show you relaxing,” he replied.

“Not so sure what you're thinking is relaxing, horn dog.”

“Massage?” Jethro suggested. Tony looked at him sarcastically. “Hey, I can do relaxing. It's your fault things get hot 'n’ heavy so often. You're irresistible.”

Tony laughed, “and you're insatiable.”

“Complaining?”

“Nope. Well, not about that. Right now, though, I just need to zone for a bit.” The stress of the past several days was still weighing heavily on him, and Gibbs reached into the slightly tinted water to pat his knee.

“I'll be on the bed. Wanna give you something in private before dinner.” Tony nodded and slid as much of his body into the hot water as he could.

15 minutes later, Tony came out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist, and one in his hand drying his hair. “What's up, lover?”

Gibbs laughed, “what's always up for you?”

Tony rolled his eyes and sat on the bed next to Jethro. “Ok, seriously, your heart’s not in the innuendo, so, what's up?”

“Tony, I just wanted to give you your present a little early. It’s no Tiffany or Versace or whatever, but i spent a long time making it--”

Tony interrupted him with a kiss, “I know I have expensive tastes sometimes, but I'd never look down on something that  _ isn't  _ designer, you know that.”

“I know. I guess I wanted to do this in private because I didn't want you to be disappointed for other reasons. It's really not much, and I didn't realize until I finished it what the box resembled and...oh hell, just open the damn thing.” He thrust the small box into Tony's hand and kept his gaze down at his lap.

Tony chuckled, “you were worried I'd be disappointed you aren't proposing?”

Jethro glared at him “when ya say it like that...well, yeah.”

Tony’s first reaction was to make a sarcastic remark about him becoming the fifth Mrs. Gibbs, or ex-wife number 4, but he bit his tongue. If Gibbs was worried about that, it meant, somewhere inside, that Gibbs had thought about it. Thought about what it’d be like to propose to him. He smiled, “thank you.” He kissed Jethro on the lips, then his cheek, then his earlobe, and whispered, “I love you too.” He then returned to his gift, grinned like a little kid, and tore open the beautiful wrapping. He gasped at the box, running his fingers along the ornate edging and the vintage clasp Jethro had purchased on eBay (with McGee's help). He opened the box and smiled even bigger, “they're amazing!” Inside were a pair of cufflinks, the base was silver, and the tops were carved ebony wood. Jethro had engraved them by hand with small strips of inlaid white wood that looked almost like piano keys. Across the design in beautiful scrollwork was engraved A.D. Tears came to his eyes, “J, they're beautiful. I've never…” he couldn't finish. Sure, he’d gotten plenty of gifts before, some incredibly expensive, but aside from Jeanne’s hospital bracelet, he’d never gotten anything thought out like this. And certainly nothing so beautiful and made by the hands he loved. He set the box down and took Jethro's hands in his and kissed them, backs, fronts, fingertips, stopping at the sensitive skin of his wrist and simply said, “thank you.” 

Jethro pulled him close and smiled. “Wanna wear them?” Tony grinned and hopped toward his closet, selecting one of Jethro's favorite pair of grey slacks with a dark green shirt that just happened to have French cuffs. He held out his wrists to his lover, “cuff me, Gunny.”

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. “Is that an invitation?”

Tony smirked, “for now, the cufflinks. Later...who knows,” then winked.

“You're killing me.” Jethro groaned as he slid off the bed and slipped the cufflinks into place, kissing the insides of Tony’s wrists as he finished each one.

Dinner was delicious. A lot fewer people than Thanksgiving, but just as special. Afterwards, they all gathered blankets and pillows and snuggled together to get ready to watch 'It’s a Wonderful Life.’

“Hey, everyone, I have something for you, before we start.” Jethro stood and passed out the presents he could. Everyone was pleased, Abby already twisting her pigtails into little buns to wear her gifts. Fornell groaned that he'd have to spend Christmas morning hauling the mirror out of the car and assembling the vanity, but it was a half-hearted complaint. The others exchanged gifts, lots of hugs and thanks went around, and the movie began. For the first time in a very long time, Jethro was really having a great holiday. He still longed to watch his wife and daughter decorating the tree, but it didn't hurt as much to remember the good times. He smiled and pulled Tony against his chest and sighed.

*****

“Kat, it's late, and you're sleeping for two, why aren't you in bed with me?” Abby whined when Katherine didn't come right to bed after everyone left.

“I wanted to wait until it was officially Christmas before I gave you your present,” she answered, blushing. She climbed into bed with a small, flat box, wrapped in dark red with a black ribbon. She also handed her a silver-tipped black silk rose. “This is just an extra thing. I saw it and thought of you,” she shrugged and Abby squealed.

“It's awesome! It's one of the rules, you know. I've been flexible, but...I'd say you're passing.”

Katherine looked confused, but Abby didn't explain. Instead, she opened the box carefully. Inside were three keys, all dark jewel tones, and a keychain that was a decently accurate anatomical heart. “What are these for? You need three keys to your heart?” She felt the excitement bubbling in her chest, but kept in down just in case she was wrong.

Katherine took her hands. “You've had the key to my heart for a while now. But these are keys to our house. It's early, because moving  _ right _ when the baby is due or when she comes or right after is kinda crazy, so I'm asking if we could wait until a few weeks after she’s born, but...Abby, would you live with me?”

Abby squealed and jumped into Katherine's lap. Or what was left of her lap that wasn't taken by baby. “'Omigod, really? I'm gonna move into my boss’s house? That's kinda weird”

Katherine laughed and nodded. “Jethro and I talked about it. When we decided to expand this house, it was our agreement that he add my name to the deed. He actually suggested maybe buying new, but on a pension and my salary, we would never have gotten anything nearly as beautiful or well built. So, it's my house too. And he’s not your boss anymore.”

Abby shook her head, “he’ll always be the bossman.”

They snuggled into bed and Katherine pulled Abby against her chest. “Abbs, what do you want the baby to call you?” Abby didn't respond. “I mean it. Think about it. Jethro and I talked about that too.”

“Tony?” Abby whispered.

“Jethro's gonna talk to him too. I don't know when, though. We know how good he is with communication.”

They both snorted. Abby hook her head “he’s gotten better, though.”

“Yeah. We all have, I think,”

*****

Nate loved his dresser. Thankfully, after he hopped on top, feet dangling his toes three feet off the ground, and started carrying on a conversation from 8 feet in the air, Jethro leaned over to Katherine and whispered ”don't worry, we didn't test this one.” She hid her giggles behind her hand and left the room.

Alyssa had come over, and Katherine gave her the small gift she’d had Nate purchase for her: an OSU soccer ball. “I know it's not much, but I don't know you that well yet. Hopefully that changes.” She smiled at the girl, who immediately started bouncing the ball from knee to knee with a big grin. “Oh, Mrs. McDonough, it’s awesome!”

By that evening, Katherine was exhausted. She sat on the couch feeling like her legs couldn't even carry her to bed. Jethro came over and handed her a cup of Tony's famous homemade hot cocoa before dropping onto the cushion next to her. “You talk to Papa Tony yet?”

Jethro smirked into his coffee, “no, we were a bit busy celebrating the holiday last night.”

She dropped her head back onto the couch as the baby painfully kicked her side, “lucky. I can barely move.”

Jethro's hand came to rest on her stomach and the baby stopped her kicking and settled for gentle rolling. “I haven't asked lately. How you doing?”

His voice was soft and gentle, not something most people got to hear, although she was sure the baby would hear it a lot more. “I'm ok. Really. Glad we made it through two holidays with no major emergencies. How are you?”

“I'm fine.” He responded, taking another sip of coffee.

That was his tell. When he hid his face in coffee, which he almost always had at the ready, it tended to be a sign of 'something else.’ She touched his arm, “really? I can read you, you know.”

He gave her a wry smile, “runs in the family.”

“You thinking about Shannon and Kelly?”

“Yup. Always do, but now…” his voice trailed off and his hand slowly moved on her belly, following the baby's movements.

“Now you're happy?” He blinked a few times, then nodded. “They'd want that for you, you know. No matter what, to be happy. Hell, Shannon was half ready to give you up if it turned out you preferred guys after that Edgerton guy.”

Jethro's head spun toward her, “What?!”

“We talked about it. She knew I would be the only one who wouldn't judge her OR you, and we talked. If you had come home and said you found you were really gay, she would have let you go. Just to see you be happy. That's how much she loved you.  _ Loves _ you. I'm pretty sure she never stopped.” She wrapped her arm around him and kissed his cheek. He just sighed.

They sat like that for a while until Tony and Abby came in. “Hey!” They both said, emphasizing their matching pouts. Tony stepped closer, “trying to encroach on what's mine?” He grinned and sat on the arm of the couch next to Jethro.

“Never,” responded Katherine, “I got just what I want right here,” and she pulled Abby down next to her.

Nate was behind them and sighed “Maybe Grandma and Grandpa were right...orgies. Orgies all the time.”

Katherine beat Jethro to the punch and bopped her son on the head as he sat by her feet with his hot cocoa. “Your grandparents are morons.”

They enjoyed the fire together until Katherine and Tony were fast asleep.

*****

“No. No. I don't wanna go to work.” Abby thrust her head into her pillow and groaned. Vance had given them a few days off for the holiday, but they were scheduled to go back today. It was too damn early.

_ Wait, what time IS is? _ She turned her head to glance at the clock. 0419. No way in hell should she be rising this early.

“You're not going to work. Get Jethro.” Katherine whispered, then the hand on Abby's shoulder tightened and Katherine groaned. “Now.” She growled.

Abby ran out of the room, down the stairs, and back up the other stairs, shouting “GIBBSGIBBSGIBBSGIBBSGIBBS!” She got to their bedroom and ran into the door. Locked. “Ow! Guys!”

“What?!” Both of them responded. Obviously theyd been awake, and Abby smiled gleefully, imagining all the sexy things going on, but then remembered her mission. “Gibbs, get off Tony's ass and get your stuff! It's time!”

There was scrabbling and Gibbs opened the door wearing Tony's boxers, ignoring Abby's state of undress, “you sure?”

Abby put her hands on her hips, “seriously? Let's go!” She ran back to her lover and threw on some clothes, carefully helping Katherine into the clothes she’d picked out. No way was she gonna be stuck in some scratchy hospital gown. As soon as her shoes were on, and Abby had her upright, she almost fell over again from another contraction. Abby pulled out her phone and hit the timer, as Jethro and Tony practically carried her to the car.

Jethro's driving skills, even distracted, got them to the hospital in record time, and by the time they were rushed into a room, Katherine's contractions were only 2 minutes apart. This was going a hell of a lot faster than they expected. She refused an IV, last time they'd put pitocin in her without consent, they weren't doing it this time. They kept asking her questions and admission paperwork, until Jethro grabbed the clipboard from the nurse and threw it back into the hallway. “Just get her damn doctor here. Paperwork later.” He snarled and stood between the nurse and Katherine. She retrieved her paperwork and scuttled away.

He made sure he kept his eye on the doorway, watching for further threats, while holding her hand and stroking the back of her head. Abby was holding the other hand and whispering into her ear. Jethro released Katherine's hand, patting it, as he started pacing.  _ Where the hell is the doctor? _ He was there when Kelly was born, he remembered this part. Katherine wasn't far from…

“No, I have to...I can't…” Katherine groaned through another contraction, but this was different. They'd been in the hospital less than an hour, and she was pushing.

“Katie, look at me.” Jethro went onto field response. She responded immediately and nodded. “If you gotta push, you do it.” The nurse they'd summoned was trying to tell her to wait until the doctor arrived, but Jethro just talked over her. “I got _her_ , ok? Abby's got _you_ , Tony's got _you_. I got _her_. Stand up.” The nurse objected, but Jethro pushed her out of the way. “Lean on Tony. Can I check?” Katherine had gotten up and was leaning on Tony and swaying, Abby rubbing her back and holding her hips. She nodded. Jethro felt awkward inspecting her this way, but it had to be done.

He couldn't see much, so he asked Abby to put on some gloves and see what she could feel. Katherine whimpered at the intrusion, but held still. Abby's eyes grew wide, “omigod, Gibbs… It's a head!” She pulled her hand free and tossed the glove. Katherine's knees almost buckled with the next contraction, but she fell into a squat and Tony held her across her chest and under her arms.

“Katie, you got this. I'm watching. I got her. Tony's got you. Abby's got you. She's fine.” Jethro pulled the blanket off the bed just in case the baby didn't wait, and dropped it onto the floor beneath Katherine. Abby took over talking Katherine through the contractions, and Jethro focused only on the possibility that this baby would come before the doctor got there. And suddenly it looked like that was a definite. Katherine's groans turned to a higher pitched swearing as Jethro saw the baby's head begin to crown. Tony gritted his teeth when Katherine bit down on his shoulder.

The contraction stopped and Jethro looked Katherine in the eye. “The next one, push, and push good, Katydid.” She nodded and felt her body tighten again. She pushed and pushed and Jethro smiled, “just one more, you're doing great.” As she gave one last push, a gaggle of nurses came into the room, admonishing her for being on the floor. The four of them ignored their words until Jethro sat on the floor and held his daughter in his arms. Wrinkled, pink, screaming, and with a shock of red hair that would impress any ginger around.

“Hey there little one.” He whispered, ignoring everyone and everything around him. “Glad to finally meet ya.” He smiled as he tucked his thumb into her tiny hand and felt the tears on his cheeks.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could have split this up into 2 chapters, but I just wanted the baby here! One more chapter to bring them home and get settled into their new life :)
> 
> Thanks to ShadowWolfsDen for your present suggestions!


	45. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a snippet of life with a baby.

“Abby, Abby, calm down, we’ll be fine!” Katherine had to laugh at the way her lover was double, triple, and quadruple checking every part of the car seat.

“Do you know the statistics on collisions and infant injury? Because I do. And, no offense Gibbs, you're kind of a crazy driver, and if I could wrap this kid in rubber and foam I would!” Katherine looked to Jethro for assistance. She had her arms full with a very bundled 7lb 4oz little girl, and they needed to get into the car.

“Abs. I trust you.” He put his hands on her upper arms and kissed her forehead. It was like a magic salve, and she huffed and smiled. “Now, head home with Tony, we’ll be fine. And NO surprise party.” Abby left and Jethro took Anna and placed her into the car seat, making sure to keep her blankets from getting behind her or under the straps. Abby had been very thorough on her instruction of current car seat safety. “It’s not 1984, Gibbs!” 

The car was running with the heat on, but he wanted to shut the door as quickly as possible, and the orderly tried to wheel Katherine to her door. She stood and waved him off, “your liability is done at the sidewalk, thank you hon, but I can use my feet.” She tried to smile warmly, but wasn't sure how it came across. Eh, she didn't much care. She scooted around the car and sat in the back to soothe the baby as they drove. Jethro actually stayed within the speed limit, and his turns were almost painfully slow. Katherine calmly told Anna all about how Daddy was normally a crazy driver, and how she was going to take lessons from Grandpa Ducky, if she had any say, and really anything she could think of to keep the newborn from screaming at the injustice of being tied down so shortly after her escape from the womb.

****

The first two weeks were spent snuggling topless in front of the fire  pretty much all the time. At least for Jethro and Katherine. Katherine because she was having some trouble establishing her milk supply, and Jethro because Anna pretty much only calmed down when she was skin to skin. Tony took a turn here or there, but was rather displeased with the baby's attempts to latch onto his nipples or to yank out his chest hair. Abby helped too, choosing to dance in her bra with the baby. Seeing either woman in a state of undress made Tony more than a little uncomfortable, until Katherine gave him a good head slap. “Like you've never seen boobs before. I don't complain about you running around half naked.” He felt relieved, actually. It wasn't the fact that they were undressed, he just didn't want anyone to think he was staring. Not that he minded the view on occasion, he’d just never admit it.

Nate, however, was thoroughly traumatized. He’d originally felt guilty taking an internship in NYC over his January break, but now? Yeah, no way was he gonna stay in the house while his mom was either wearing a nursing tank top or no top. His grandparents would  _ LOVE _ that one!

Sleeping those two weeks was all on Katherine. Until her milk was fully in, she needed the night feedings. Lack of sleep made her awfully grumpy, and she snapped at Abby and Jethro and Tony...then broke down crying... then snuggled Anna and was fine...then snapped...then...yeah, it was a vicious cycle. Tony and Abby abandoned Katherine, Jethro, and the baby one night when things got really snippy, and the pair argued in hushed tones the whole time the baby was asleep.

Nobody said the 'perfect’ family would come without fighting.

*****

And then the stress calmed down a bit. Jethro moved a cradle into his and Tony’s room, and Katherine had been able to pump enough milk to feel secure in letting Anna sleep on the other side of the house. First twice a week, then every other night. Dividing the sleeping duties was a blessing, even if Katherine still had to pump in the middle of the night, it wasn't nearly as stressful as trying to soothe the baby several times. After a month, they were all into a comfortable rhythm.

*****

One night, Katherine heard Abby talking to Anna, who had only just begun to stir. She stayed in bed, listening to her love calming her daughter. She was telling her all about her name, and how mommy and daddy had picked it. Anna was for both of her grandmas. Grandma Gibbs was Anne, and Grandma Fielding is Joann. So they chose Anna to honor them both. Her middle name, Elizabeth, was her Auntie Shannon’s middle name. Daddy loved her very much, but she’s gone now. Katherine watched her hand stroke the tiny belly, watched her long black hair hanging over her shoulder, and felt like the Grinch that stole Christmas. Before all of this, maybe her heart was two sizes too small. But now, this winter, it grew to hold all of these people as family. Abby looked up and saw she was awake and smiled.

*****

Jethro stirred and lowered his hand into the cradle by his side. His eyes flew open when he realized it was empty. He thought hard...was he just half asleep and imagining it was his night? No. He remembered the yellow duck feetie pajamas he’d put on her. He jumped out of bed and listened. He heard something in the next room, where they'd moved Tony's piano and other music things. And there he was, swaying in the center of the room, a recording of his own piano playing softly in the background, singing a melody Jethro had never heard before. During the day, Tony acted clueless and intimidated by kids, Anna included, but Jethro saw right past it. He was afraid, yes, but not of screwing up. He was afraid of getting too attached. Of loving too much. He’d turned down the title of Papa, for now, but this scene in front of him told Jethro all he needed to know. He quietly went to bed, knowing his baby girl was safe and happy in Tony’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have rushed through this one, but I didnt have much without starting a whole new story. I definitely have some shorter stories in the works for this series :)


	46. In Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skips ahead to today/current.

Katherine stood in the shade, gently swaying the baby in her wrap as napped in the early summer heat. Abby's arm around her waist, and leaning on her shoulders, tears marring her thick mascara.

Jethro wore his dress uniform, cap under his arm, fingers laced with Tony's. Tony wore sunglasses to hide the red rims of his own eyes.

Today they stood together with people around the US, and the world, proud and strong against those who would hate them because of the people they love. They stood in a throng of people standing vigil that night for the 50 souls lost in the largest mass shooting in the history of America. All because of who they loved. The sadness and anger in the crowd was palpable, and affected everyone.

A speaker stood and read from her social media account:

"Dear Straight Friends and Allies,

I don't think you understand the depth to which the LGBTQ, and particularly the LGBTQ communities of color are feeling the pain of yesterday's killings of 50 of our community - almost all of them young men of color.

Literally every single one of my LGBTQ friends - Facebook and otherwise - is feeling and hurting from this tragedy. Their bodies feel heavy; their hearts ache, and they worry about more attacks.

Every. Single. One.

We were targeted and it scares us because we ARE targeted.

There is a long history of attacks on LGBTQ people. Those attacks occur on public streets, in bars and clubs where we seek safety and community, and in our own homes as families find out that we are LGBTQ.

30% of LGBTQ youth are homeless. The violence and exclusion likely began for them at home.

Yesterday, Facebook was full of condolences, but also full of posts about how this attack was God's will for the homosexual lifestyle; that a mass shooting finally targeted the perverts instead of the innocents; at least it was only gays because they only add disease to the world; that gays SHOULD be shot for disobeying the natural order ... and on and on.

From white people. From Christians.

I don't think straight friends and allies realize how much violence and exclusion we hear and experience as LGBTQ people EVERY DAY:

A week ago, a friend posted that she harassed for wearing a We Love Gay Love T-shirt while she was literally in the rainbow-painted crosswalk in Capitol Hill, the historically gay area of Seattle.

Loren noted that we were given three LOOKS last night as we held hands in Capitol Hill while walking to the vigil for the Orlando shooting.

With my feminine presentation, I come out to someone nearly once a day, and the number of times that that is met with disgust, head-shaking silence or a simple recoiling is too numerous to count.

Beyond the individual attacks and affronts, our community has been used so much in the political culture wars. Remember when George Bush won a second term largely on an anti-gay marriage platform? I do. It felt like the whole country voted against me and my community.

And now, the country is ravaged with hateful language and bills about who gets to use which bathroom. These bills, active laws and initiative (HERE IN WASHINGTON, PEOPLE) abuse some of the most vulnerable members of our community, trans* and gender non-conforming people for the gain of the political right and to bolster the confidence of would-be attackers.

Straight allies and friends, we need you.

We need you to speak up.

We need you to act.

We need you to smile at LGBTQ people.

We need you to quash the hate language that you hear.

We need you to not assume you can tell who is LGBTQ.

We need you to listen when we ask you to use a different pronoun or name.

We need you to show us that you get that these anti-LGBTQ bills, crimes, and killings are felt in our bodies, carried in our hearts, and make it hard for us to lovingly fight back. Again and again.

But we will, and we hope you will be there with us, whether we are in the room or not."

Polite applause rose through the crowd and a minister approached the microphone asking for silence as he read the names of the victims.

"Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old

Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old

Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old

Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old

Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old

Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old

Kimberly Morris, 37 years old

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old

Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old

Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old

Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old

Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old

Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old

Amanda Alvear, 25 years old

Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old

Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old

Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old

Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old

Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old

Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old

Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old

Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old

Cory James Connell, 21 years old

Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old

Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old

Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old

Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old

Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old

Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old

Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old

Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27 years old

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old

Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old

Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old

Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old

Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 years old

Frank Hernandez, 27 years old

Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old

Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old

Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old

Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 years old."

Jethro squeezed Tony's hand extra hard and clenched his jaw. Tony pulled him in for a kiss, letting him hide his shaking in Tony's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't not write about this. If I'm writing about established queer couples, I had to add this. And this post from several hours ago sums it up perfectly.
> 
> https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154404335911162&id=504816161
> 
> I am queer. I'm married to a man, and sometimes chooae a more masculine presentation, but I still have to "come out" more often than not. My husband identifies as bisexual, and nobody would know if he wasn't open about it. There was a time when I was afraid to hold my wife's hand in public. By the time we were able to be married in MA, I thought it was over, and I wouldn't have to be afraid. And now I find myself feeling guilty that my husband and I, because our sexuality is easily made invisible, will never have to feel the fear that our friends do.
> 
> My heart hurts.


End file.
